The Story, Sort Of
We named this store after a wild animal primarily because it sounds cool. Let's be real, it beats calling it "A Small Group of People Designing Random Stuff at Odd Hours."
It does mean something though, annoyingly.
The painted wolf is a real animal. Lycaon pictus, if you want to be formal. African wild dog, if you want to be plain. Painted wolf, if you want to be accurate, because every single one wears a coat of blotches that no other one shares. No two are alike, anywhere, ever.
Which, given what we do here, felt like a reasonable thing to steal.
There are somewhere around six thousand of them left in the wild.
What We Actually Make
We don't do cutesy retail, we don't do "whimsy" and we definitely don't do boring. Instead we specialize in things that are highly unnecessary but completely essential. Whether it's a tarot card featuring a black cat who considers himself in charge or a heavy woven throw for hiding from the world, everything on our shelves is here simply because we wanted to make it.
The woven pieces are woven, not printed, which means the design is built into the cloth rather than sitting on top of it. It does not crack, peel or fade in the wash, because there is nothing on the surface to crack, peel or fade.
The Logic
Most business experts say a successful store needs to focus on a single, hyper-specific product category. We think that's a great way to build a completely forgettable brand. Our curation strategy is much simpler: if an item has zero percent chance of being boring, it stays. No fluff, no mass-market filler and no nonsense.
The Staff
Cash handles money. He is not good at it, but he is confident, which he considers to be the same thing. He turns up at the cart and at checkout, usually to explain a plan. The plan is already going wrong. He does not know this yet.
Rusty handles enthusiasm. He has no other duties and he is outstanding at the one he has. He appears while you are browsing, to tell you he likes something. He likes everything. He is not a useful filter and he is not sorry.
Neither of them has ever been to a meeting.
The Logistics
- Ships From the USA: Everything goes out directly from within the United States. No surprise import fees and no weird delays.
- Made on Demand: A lot of our favorite pieces are made individually for you. It takes a little extra time, but it also means we are not throwing unsold stock into a skip at the end of the season.
- Small Scale: We are a small family team creating distinct designs and completely ignoring the standard retail rulebook.
The Promise
If it turns up wrong, damaged or not as described, tell us and we will fix it. No forms designed to exhaust you. No thirty day window that expires the week before you notice.
Cash would like to add something here about our commitment to excellence. He has been asked to sit down.
Take a look around. Whether you are hunting for a ridiculous gift, an oddity for your living room or just happen to appreciate a dark, moody color palette, welcome to the pack.
Find Us
Email info@thepaintedwolves.com for anything at all, or orders@thepaintedwolves.com if it is about an order.
There is also cash@thepaintedwolves.com, which reaches Cash. It arrives in exactly the same inbox as the other two. He does not know this.
The Painted Wolves
PO Box 5031, Sarasota, FL 34277
