Gowanus Souvenir Shop

History

The shop opened this fall.

Specialties

The Gowanus Souvenir Shop is dedicated to the complex story of the Gowanus Canal and offers souvenirs that riff on the many facets of the canal's mystifying and troubling yet often humorous and darkly fascinating history: from the canal's lore of once pristine nature, Native American roots, early colonial enterprise, the American Revolution, the industrial revolution, seafaring, the mafia to today's real estate speculation and EPA Superfund cleanup. For sale are a mix of classic souvenirs and work by local artists and makers, authentic and inauthentic curios and historical objects, and literature related to the canal, all to create a truly museum-like space that invites the visitor to linger and explore. The objects for sale transcend the purely touristical into the realm of art, but at a tourist price and with the light(hearted)ness of a simple souvenir. The result is part small town tourist stand, curio shop, and antiques store rolled into one.