Your account does not include highlighter on images.
Searches Highlighted on Image
| August 25, 2006 Barnstable Patriot |  |
|
©
Publisher. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 22 (22 of 32 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
August 25, 2006 |
|
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader 
|
KATHLEEN SZMIT PHOTOS
BAGS GALORE - Brahmin store manager Pat Sullivan waits on a customer in her
Mashpee Commons shop. Brahmin specializes in fine handcrafted Italian leather
handbags.
Mashpee shop features
fine handbags and more
By Kathleen Szmit
kszmit@barnstablepatriot.com
Italy is known for wonderful
things: sumptuous pasta, fine
wines, and supple leather goods.
It used to be that you had to travel
far and wide to find fine Italian
leathers.Not any longer. Find-
ing quality Italian leather goods
is as easy as a trip to Brahminin
Mashpee Commons. i
Located at 12 Market St., Brah-
min is a cozy, welcoming corner
shop specializing in a wide as-
sortment of top ofthe line leather
goods including handbags, clutches,
backpacks, briefcases, wallets, and
key fobs. One look at the items on
display in Brahmin and shoppers
know immediatelythat makinga
purchase at Brahmin isn't simply
about shopping. It's about making
an investment.
Unlike mall-style leather shops
with mass-produced products
each piece at Brahmin is carefully
crafted from finest Italian leather,
hand embossed to represent any
number of textures. Pieces range
from subtle and smooth to vibrant
and eye-catching. "Everything from
formal to fun,"said store manager
Pat Sullivan.
If the styles alone don't grab
you, their names will. There is the
Rosalee, alovely,feminine purse;
the Sophie, a timeless, elegant clas-
sic; and the Melbourne, a modern,
hip combination purse-organizer
that is one of the shop's top sellers.
"We have a tough time keeping it in
stock," Sullivan said with a chuckle.
Others include the Vivian, a di-
vine bag with a vintage appearance,
with a smaller version called Viv.For
men there are buttery soft wallets,
money clips, and key fobs. Brahmin
also carries several styles of brief-
cases, as well as women's hats by
Helen Kaminskiand Erica Javits.
The term Brahmin was coined by
Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.In an
article written during the 1860she
was seeking a means of describing
a "harmless, inoffensive, untitled"
New England aristocrat.
In 1982 Bill and Joan Martin
founded BralirninLeather Works.
Their goal was to create a hand-
bag that even a Brahmin would be
pleased to own. Joan, the compa-
ny'svisionary, designed each bag,
while Bill cut the leather in the barn
of their home in Hingham.
Each Dag was careruuy assemDiea
in a basement workroom using fine
brass hardware and meticulous
stitching.Joan would sell them at
parties and golf courses, withtheir
children assisting in packing and
shipping after school.
It wasn't long before the hand-
bags developed a wide following
and the company outgrew the
basement space. Thanks to sales
that doubled each year,Bralirnin
outgrewtwo subsequent locations
before establishingits home base
in Fairhaven. Although some work
is now done overseas, more than
35 percent is still completed in
Fairhaven."It is a local company
with a family flair,"said CEO Victor
Pereira,who noted that the Mar-
tins were originallyfrom Osterville
before relocating to Hingham.
History,family, and akeen sense
of detail are integral aspects of
BrahminLeather.The company
logo is the trading vessel "Raven"
which Bill Martin's great-great-
great-great grandfather skippered
in the 19th century.This emblem can
be found as a brass fob on many
products in the Brahminline.
Brahmin made a run in Mashpee
Commons many years ago, but
the location wasn't ideal and the
decision wasmade to shutter the
shop. Now in a new location, Pereira
anticipates success. "It was a really
great opportunity to be in a great
area,"he said. "We reallybelievein
the Cape."
Brahmin has shops in Mashpee,
Chatham and in Bristol, R.I., and
can be found in high-end depart-
ment stores such as Nordstrom's
and Dillard's. Pereira said there are
no immediate plans to expand. "We
want to develop retail in the area
before we move on,"he said.
The only planned growthat
Brahmin involves their product line,
whichPereira said could eventually
include more briefcases and a men's
line. "We were recently mentioned
in Oprah magazinein their 'Look
What WeFound' section," Sullivan
noted. "We're like a candy store for
grownups."
1
Brahmin is located at 12 Market St. in
Mashpee Commons. Hours are Monday
through Saturday 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. and
Sunday from 11a.m. until5 p.m. For more
information,call 508-539-0055.
Leather goods for the Brahmin in all
MAIDEN VOYAGE
Interiors, Gifts £
j||
and Mermaidabilia J
j
p
4 Market Street, > M
l
lf
Mashpee Commons - 508.477.908^1pfe
V w J
Improving
four View
ofCapeCod...
HfctH Hf 'H-^rfl^l
fl^ m&i
^
rk
V MS ti^i^Hri
m « i mmmJmmWm W
VVB Vr 1 l^dK9
Mashpee Commons • Mashpee «
508-477-2548
COCONUTS
294 Commercial St. • Provincetown
508-487-2406
www.x-wear.com
p-—u
^
| w
¦
11 rf&^tr /
f
j SnW^ fi
m^j RESTAURANTCTUB
f'jSummcrJWenu*
at What's on the menu for summer?
% Long lazy days, warm nights, the company of
jUj good friends, crisp salads, a burger and a brew, fresh
$ seafood and a surprise or two... Always casual,
&f always comfortable , summer dining
;£ at Bobby Byrne's.
ykt MASHPEE COMMONS
J
Jl Rr. 28 & Bearse'
s Way • 508-775-1425
pS j Jp 'jga.Rr. 6A SroP & Shop Plaza • 508-888-6088 wK M
&Qmtucka
oHkural©ik
f ragrance &Aromatherapy Bar
100% Natural Form • No Alcohol
P
d^>
50% OFFSelect
^SfjB^ Designer Fragrances
AllAromatherapy
Blends While Stock lasts!
Mashpee Commons,Mashpee
508-477-7010
.a^ , *** wumj. capecodfragrancebar.com
J|
)lWirelessCity
[g| 3 Central Square _
xpl Mashpee Commons MB j
I
p
l 508-539-4229 ¦
; 4jK www.usawirelesscity.com JSSLa
Ink m ^mOm^mmW^
M
»^JB MtnBfe; ^
,^
^ B^
^'
¦ " tJmm
\\mm\ mmmmm ^*mtmmmmm\ BP$'--'''
Jdmmm
pEDESS^ ^HPWK -
' iki
At New Seabury- Custom ^muff^l^
A
U
S "
'IS
Cape 3+ bedrooms, 2 WEtBNBR MtM
bath.Huge kitchen w/ I
new appliances tile floor & ^S
z^^^
^^
^^ow
cozyfireplace. S
j vcious Q „
. .
ffi, ,
livingroom w/wood floor & \.« c* r e*
additional fireplace. Private 18 Steep|e St.,
back yard. Walk to Spit for Mashpee Commons
swimming. $499,000 www.century21reganrealtors.com
wk "
»
*"''"'
m, M
'"
"
"•''NI ML
V xlGrG bO shop,Jine h pla^jall Summef Wj !
90 unique Cape Cod shops & national stores • restaurants • cinema • special events
^^v^^^^r
^H^H m. , „ ^^^^^^^^^m-
TT ^r^mMOoamMU mml ^
^
^
^'^
i wmm*** BJ^^ 'BA * I M^mmmwt *^BJ
At the Mashpee Rotary • Routes 28 & 151 • 508-477-5400 • mashpeecommons .com • wireless hotspot
L f ^i- r-'i^U
•
¦ ¦ : ¦ ' v> ¦ . ¦-„¦ ¦ , ¦ ¦
.
Distinctive
Lighting
& Home
Accessories
by Little Fan
at Mashpee Commons
P w
I
508.477.8844
littleran@verizon.net
mWmW
,lmm
W
,
./i< ,
*gl)fc(i|tv Gifts beyond the list' Mf MW W*
* *
*
* \iS- •
Shown Custom B ^P J B BB "
gift ..^,• >»,*.-„ „
.
. ,'„?-<"+
¦¦
Wedding Planer r^^»
*
WT.
fee* mi$M\t "> UK It i
^™-£m W
I*f-ICr- < ~ ^ M
a
f
^»-»V Jr.£T-'~*. if • -J 'Asii ''•''"•' ' ¦
¦ ¦
¦
^
'
"
'
W
JK
^J
.. *5"J
*"- '""^" lf"*J ' Kfla^K.
'i "> .t j-v^.<.^Jm.„/, > ;.. ../ .%& '
£+**
' W
^
^O
A^^mP-
Mmr* i #N* »^
i " l^
^k^^^H H~~
'
.VT'S^ ^
m
*
i i<7V • i-v - , Lk^
^^*-
,wt^A ^T-
% r M a - \/**
*vi<.>^
w* .**^
f apt *f~I mmW-^mTmWmTmm ^mm
¦
* • ,o Qi
i
l
'"
f; <~+"<"WktkrtM*
m
¦
" ^ 0: m^
m W*
+j LL »flUL "'V [U
<
•* •
m ¦ ¦ nm ' / Wt
~^
mT^wMm-
.. X.v.. ^ * *• „-:. .. . - •/ mXllmm^smmt
ir\"P K. / v v ¦ P
C
•tf^JS r \
^B^L
^
P
One of Home Accents Today s 50 Retail Stars for 2006 >~-~lm\ m^^
4MmZ
^^
j
L f f
YOUR AD COULD BE HERE!
Our Mashpee Commons page is featured seven times through-
out the year and is seen by more than 12,000 readers.
Call 508-771-1427 to start your advertising in
Che Jfornstable $atrtot