If you ever wanted to know where one could purchase a $700 Jay Strongwater picture frame and a common garden hose under the same roof, consider this the answer. Long heralded by family and acquaintances as "the fancy hardware store near campus", Breed & Co. has long been ignored by yours truly, seeing as I wasn't quite sure even what a hardware store was until 2002. When they said "fancy", I wasn't sure if they meant that they sold bejeweled leaf blowers and only "top shelf" insect repellent, but this Christmas 2011, it all came full circle and their meaning is clear.
Always on a push to shop local, I made an impromptu pilgrimage with Mom to have a gander and see if we couldn't find some last minute gifts and/or stocking stuffers.
We began by perusing the frames to see if there were any suitable for a wedding portrait. A woman who worked there showed us the area and then left us to it; the perfect balance of helpful, not pushy. We didn't find the frame, but we found a whole bunch of fun, colorful red and white ceramics and dishes that would be perfect for Christmas. Also, we began to notice a theme of cute, UT Longhorn collectibles (e.g. crystal longhorns) that I imagine would be absolutely perfect gifts from parents to their new students when they came to visit. For my brother, we found a magnifying glass that would be a nice decoration for his desk.
My next inquiry was into a small cheese cleaver, but I found a cute cheese knife set I wanted for myself, and they also had some small wooden spoons for a charcutarie platter similar to the ones we had seen at Vince Young Steakhouse; I bought them for when they create their own on the platter I'd already purchased for them. There were also an assortment of distressed, decorative tiles for a kitchen, and I found the last one with a colorful peacock motif. I couldn't help but roll my eyes when my mom instinctively asked if we could find one without a chip in it; I reminded her, like certain designer jeans that came pre-ripped, the chips were supposed to be there to give it character. We had a laugh.
For the chef Breed is an absolute wonderland, with eye candy and bright colors in every direction, including the vast selection of Le Creuset cookware. Every kitchen gadget worth its salt from prep bowls and can openers, to waffle makers and your favorite Kitchen Aid mixers were all available to those blessed with the talent to work magic in the kitchen. It almost made me want to take up cooking. Almost.
Their selection of knives was most impressive, although Neal and Lisa had already received their fair share of high end knives from the wedding, including a Japanese set that are so exclusive (and so mindbogglingly sharp), the instruction manual on how to clean, care, and utilize them made me believe they could probably fatally cut you by just looking at them.
The home decor is where I felt transported to a little slice of Neiman Marcus. Think the aforementioned Jay Strongwater frames, Nambe vases, Lenox china, and a whole sparkling cornucopia of shiny baubles. If this is where your priorities lie, by all means...buy the premium goods from the local merchant.
All Christmas decor was 30% off at the time (just a few days before Christmas), and my favorites were of course the ornaments by Christopher Radko (I already have a small collection I started while in college). I almost bought a purple gingerbread house one, but realized it clashed with everything on my tree. Maybe next year, if I redo the color scheme.
I heard somewhere they offered a bridal registry, which hardly came as a surprise, as so much of what was offered seemed very wedding gift-y to me. Just to be nosy, I looked up some couples' registries under the name "Smith". Jesus, how many $150 Baccarat tumblers does one need? It seemed a little "War of the Roses", if you ask me. Greedy "Smiths", whoever they are.
We finally stopped off at the chocolate counter, where I put together a box of extra large truffles that included milk chocolate, double dark chocolate, and espresso. Mom and I shamelessly devoured their version of a peanut butter cup right out front in the car. The woman assisting us even offered to wrap the box in a red bow, which was a cute touch. The guy checking us out appeared about as aware as the metal tools that they sell in the hardware part of the store, but he wasn't rude or anything. I noticed they offered gift wrap, something stores have begun to phase out these days. I found out later the truffles are actually the exact same as the ones at Big Top Candy Shop, as they utilize the same wholesaler. Either way, those are some damn good truffles.
As far as our visit went, it was quite pleasant. I see a lot of people also had positive experiences with the "butcher side of Breed's" in the hardware departments, which was one aspect we skipped. All in all, I'd say it was a charming store, with charming items, with a charming premise. 5 Stars. read more