Merry’s makes your world a little bit smaller

PHOTO by ROSHEILA ROBLES

Thumbing the price tags at Merry’s (“Fashion With Passion”) is a lot like playing with a globe—eyes closed, index on the surface as it spins, as your seven-year-old self used to do—only here, your finger never stops on Paris, Pittsburgh or Perth. Instead, you land in Pakistan. Or Afghanistan. Or Iran. And if you’re the kind who bristles at the mere mention of the Middle East, its people, or its exports—except oil!—then you might be the kind, too, who’d call Merry’s by a different name: Un-American Apparel.

You might also be a dick.

True, owner Merry Colzín imports clothing, accessories, linens, jewelry and more from those countries (and others like Egypt, Turkey and Morocco), and true, our government doesn’t seem much to like about anything over there, but face it: Xenophobia isn’t very fashionable.

Merry’s is, though, and so Merry asks you to ditch your reservations at the door—literally, in her Preconception Receptacle, which reads: “Before entering, please dispose of any prejudice, bias or preconceived notions of any type. They will be available upon your departure.”

Cheesy? Easy to think so. But then you pick up a $16 handmade doll from a basket nearby and Merry begins to tell you about how it was made by an HIV-positive woman in Kenya, stitched from the very same kitenge fabric worn by Kenyan women, and that it’s not just this HIV-positive woman, but a band of women working together for themselves (on dolls; and bags, $18-24; hand-beaded bowls, $24; and hand-painted bone bracelets, $14) and all of a sudden the globe starts to spin a bit more slowly because you realize you’re holding their work. (Better still that the dolls mirror their makers.)

Or maybe it’s the $28 skirt that grabs you—a reversible wraparound stitched together by Indian women from their own used saris. “Cottage industries,” Merry starts, as you run a finger down the soft, colorful mishmash of fabrics. “This is about changing the world. It’s just people. Not politicians. People here touch these and ask, ‘This is a sari?’”

And on and on throughout the store—which actually is more like its own self-contained indoor bazaar, with large, fabric-draped dressing tents—from red, hand-woven Moroccan tops ($69) to hand-crocheted Iranian round table cloths ($48) to vintage Afghani rings (previously worn for generations; $9) to thin, light Turkish scarves (in yellow, peach, green, purple; $29) to supremely comfy-looking Nepalese 100% wool sweaters (with the “Om” symbol woven in; $39).

Especially nice (and gift-worthy) are the handmade wares from an Indian company called Marketplace, another group of women supporting themselves by crafting wall hangings, throws ($74) and intricate totes stitched with shells and beads ($19). On the other side of the shop, recycled license plate purses (made from plates, hubcaps and truck tire inner tubes; around $70) originate from a little closer to home, but still benefit the poor through microbusiness overseen by Catholic Charities Appeal.

Merry’s also stocks belly-dancing attire, from tribal style (tribal belly dancers have a more gypsy look, Merry says) to the traditional cabaret wear (outfits range from $159 to $650). The silver cabaret ensemble currently on display runs $395 and includes a flowing skirt, long veil, arm bands, bra top and head piece. Just like to watch? In March, Merry plans on introducing Tribal Sundays, a weekly celebration featuring tribal belly dancing lessons from the Om Sisters and a henna tattoo artist.

“I’d rather be here than anywhere in the world,” says Merry, and though you pause for a moment (Really? In Long Beach and not, say, belly dancing in some far away land?) you look around you—at necklaces that originated in Mumbai, bags stitched by Tibetan refugees, Egyptian-made figurines and Iranian pillows—and understand: At Merry’s, the world is everywhere.

MERRY’S 2747 E BROADWAY | LONG BEACH 90803 | 562.987.4363 | MERRYS.BIZ

Tags: Commerce, global fashion, Long Beach, merry's, world peace