Bengaluru's 'General Items' Store Is A Celebration Of Material Memory & Design

When you go down Gangadhar Chettiar Road in Bangalore, you are transported to a version of the city that seems unchanged in the face of its status as the Silicon Valley of India. As you get close to the Sivanchetti Gardens and past the Bangalore Corporate Kindergarten, you will be greeted with a store with bright red railings and white walls. The small ‘General Items’ store stands out in beautiful contrast to the time-worn buildings and lush trees of the locale. As I get out of my auto, the school has let out after their weekend lessons and student mill about, and almost every single curious child pauses to take a look at the objects in the General Items store. 

The aptly named store and occasional gallery is a physical space that celebrates design and the love many harbours for material memory and design objects. Founded by the renowned Design Studio Tiipoi’s Spandana Gopal and Sourcing & Retail Specialist/Design-Led Travel Entrepreneur Malini Malik, General Items is a space that curates objects that spark joy through original design and smart utility and elevate daily life. 

After becoming successful in its functional objects designed and crafted between India and the UK, Tiipoi had been looking for an offline presence in India but was selective in where they chose to have their presence. The seed for the General Items store, according to their social media, started with a phone call and a site visit, which eventually led them to lease out the property. The store takes its name from the building’s history - it was a school provisions store that sold everything from notebooks to other ‘general items’ one would need.

As Tiipoi’s first brick-and-mortar store in India, General Items is highlighting most of its unique offerings here. Through their range of homewares, decor objects, and textiles, Tiipoi is resolute in its dedication to highlight local, and ethical production in the industry. Working closely with traditional craftspeople, they highlight everything from black pottery to metal carving and textile weaving. 

Staying true to the lore of the building, the general items store is stocked with pieces that fall outside the proverbial box. Currently, the Showcase 01 at General Items store is titled Objects of Emotion and features products from like-minded Indian designers and studios such as Casegoods, Tosha Jagad, Material Immaterial, Lovebirds, Claymen, Tara Kelton, Nada, Bombay Duck Designs, 1. Shanti Road, Press Works, and Rubberband. From Whatsapp Good Morning Posters turned into a book to Tiipoi’s signature Storage Dabbas, and from Claymen pieces to Lovebirds Studio designed ‘General Items’ jackets, to even GI-original totes and stationery, the products on display highlight craftsmanship, quality materials, and provenance; where each object is made with love, forethought and evoke emotions. 

The General Items Store opened to a lot of love and footfall, owing to founders’ existing presence and their careful curation of brands and products. They have also started hosting ‘Meet The Maker’ sessions as part of their showcases. For the first edition, they featured the artist Tosha Jagad from Mumbai, who took the attendees through her artistic journey and even live demonstrations of her signature Nerikomi block cats. Through their carefully curated objects, inspiring interactions and a not-so-demure aesthetic that stops most people in their tracks, the General Items store is a worthy addition to the ever-evolving face of Bangalore. 

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