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For the Press Background Staff Bios Better to Give Customer Accolades Press Accolades Press Placements Press Releases |
Press Contact Name Joanna Penn 718.210.1187 press@uncommongoods.com |
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UncommonGoods Find Anything But Ordinary About us We're proud of the shopping experience we are creating at UncommonGoods. We have worked hard to build an online marketplace offering creatively designed, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices. We are combining the treasures of a specialty boutique, the great finds of a craft show, discoveries from a faraway bazaar, along with some enduring classics. UncommonGoods offers an exciting selection of products for the home, as well as an assortment of distinctive personal accessories, with more categories to follow. Shopping with us is a true exploration of the different. We are committed to making the UncommonGoods shopping experience enjoyable in every way. Our engaging and intuitive interface informs shoppers about the quality, cultural significance, production method and style of our product, and tells the wonderful stories of the artisans who make our products. Our customers know why the items they are buying are special. In addition to providing unique items of outstanding quality, we also endeavor to feature merchandise created in harmony with the environment and without harm to animals or people. We have also launched a program called Better to Give, where we give our customers the opportunity to have UncommonGoods contribute to a non-profit organization each time they shop with us. We're committed to providing first-rate customer service, and guarantee complete customer satisfaction with every purchase. We've assembled an uncommonly accomplished and diverse team hailing from all corners of the globe- from China to Utah- and including: a painter, a former GM autoworker; a scuba diver, a rugby player, jazz saxophonists, theater and film buffs, vegetarians, and gardeners. Our vision At UncommonGoods, we believe that creativity and the expression of individuality represent two great human treasures. We recognize that people are looking for ways to express their individuality and creativity when shopping for themselves and others, a major challenge in today's chain store-dominated retail environment. We have set out to create a business that makes uncommon goods accessible to everyone. |
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John Becker John Becker is the man behind the camera in the photography department, bringing his skill and talent with a lens to the UncommonGoods team. Born and raised in Boston, the ardent Red Sox fan remained in the cradle of the Revolution to study psychology and the arts at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. After a short stint in the advertising industry, John began to pursue his passion for the camera. With the best technical education he could find (from the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA), he traveled around the world taking pictures. Literally, in fact - he circled the entire globe point to point on one photographic expedition, stopping in thirteen countries including Thailand, India, Tanzania, Brazil and Cuba on the circumnavigation. When he’s not shooting photos, John can be found in his Harlem apartment, playing his djembe and didgeridoo, watching the Discovery Channel and listening to Phish. Dave Bolotsky Born in New York City, Dave Bolotsky grew up on the Lower East Side, where his grandfather once ran a candy store just a few blocks away. His father worked for the United Nations, so his family traveled extensively, and for as long as he can remember, he has been influenced by art, individual creativity and international cultures. He also found himself surrounded by animals at a young age, during his early jobs at nature centers and animal shelters. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he managed the school's record store, he spent twelve years as a retail research analyst for Goldman, Sachs & Co. Not the typical Wall Street analyst; he also obtained a license to drive a pedicab and moonlighted as a bicycle taxi driver! Finding the retail landscape of the late 1990s homogenized by mass-produced merchandise, Dave recognized an opportunity. Out of his interest in artistic creativity, individuality and social responsibility, he founded UncommonGoods in 1999. Dave is personally committed to improving education for less-advantaged young people. He is a founder and board member of Comprehensive Development, Inc. (CDI), a non-profit organization that works with an innovative Manhattan high school to provide tutoring, legal and medical advice, job placement, and homelessness prevention to its student body. Dave is back on the Lower East Side, with his wife Barbara and their sons Evan and Drew, in the same apartment that his grandmother and grandfather lived in fifty years ago. Brett Couric Raised on old vinyl records in a generic suburb of Oakland, California, Brett Couric brings a notable lack of expertise to the UncommonGoods team. After a stint at In-N-Out Burger, Brett dove into the South for four years to study liberal arts at a university in eastern North Carolina. From there, he rambled into New York City, where he got an apartment in Brooklyn, only to find that the Dodgers had left town 55 years ago. Now he pulls for the Cyclones instead. Brett spends most of his time in Coney Island and Prospect Park, though he has been told that in the winters here you could freeze right to the bone, so during the colder days he checks out the Greenwich Village folk scene near UncommonGoods, or just stays inside and reads The Economist. He can speak Spanish and Portuguese with equal mediocrity, but he’s quiet fluent in his native tongue, and can also stumble around on piano, drums, and harmonica. Brett has spent summers working as a community organizer in North Carolina, studying Brazilian culture in Brazil, and teaching community health in Paraguay. He also spent a summer lying on a raft in his parents’ pool, where he decided to pursue a career in plastics. That turned out to be bad advice, though, so he now does work on writing, editing, and marketing for UncommonGoods. Thomas Epting Born in a sleepy town in rural Texas, Thomas Epting has learned to love the city that never sleeps, and it wasn't a difficult courtship. For a bicycle-commuting photographer-turned-businessman, with an unfortunate tendency to work all night, New York City has been the perfect place. When he first moved to New York, Thomas interned with legendary photographer Irving Penn, while completing his BFA photography/design course work, and later worked on ad campaigns for clients like Clinique, Cole Haan and Ralph Lauren. He was originally hired to work on UncommonGoods' photography and visual direction, and now serves as the Chief Operating Officer in charge of content, design, catalog, engineering and operations. It's a position that provides him with as many challenges as his job teaching rock climbing in the mountains of Southern Utah, only this one doesn't require a harness. If Thomas isn't in his office, or pedaling in between taxicabs, he's probably strapped to a pair of skis, carving tracks or hucking off cliffs on mountains like Blackcomb Glacier in British Colombia, the site of past extreme skiing championships. But every ski trip and bike ride returns to one place: Manhattan, where you might find Thomas walking his 11-year-old black Labrador, Belle. Jen Grim The retail and operations wisdom of warehouse manager Jen Grim keeps the fulfillment team running in top form. In addition, she is the go-to person for human resources and supplies. A native Buffalonian, Jen first broke into the job market working at concession stands at county fairs, hawking county fair fare like fudge, fried dough, lemonade and curly fries for her family. From there, she snagged jobs at Sam Goody, the Gap, J. Crew, and Bed Bath & Beyond, before she fortunately and fortuitously found herself at UncommonGoods. She also managed to get a degree in graphic design at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan along the way. Jen lives in Queens with her three turtles and two cats. Her interests include reading books, particularly history and fiction, and hiking (she has hiked throughout Arizona and New Mexico, including the Grand Canyon). She also has underrated quilting skills. Sara Kaufman Hailing from Redwood City, California, Sara Kaufman brings a keen analytical eye to the merchandising team, working directly with our artisans and vendors to ensure that UncommonGoods has the highest quality, most unique items for our customers, and plenty of stock in them, too. An English major at the University of California at Riverside, Sara spent her time in college looking for the river that the school was at the side of. She never actually found it. She did, however, have a few enjoyable hours reading Jane Austen, Geoffrey Chaucer and the Brontë sisters. Upon graduation, she headed to New York City, and after two years at a local "paperie," brought her talents and skills to UncommonGoods. Sara lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, where she enjoys listening to Huey Lewis and the News (also from the San Francisco Bay Area) and Phil Collins. An ardent San Francisco Giants fan, Sara has seen Overboard starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn over thirty times. Her hobbies include sailing, crossword puzzles and "The O.C." 
March 2004 Cosmo Girl March 2004 Green Watering Can Purse Fitness Magazine March 2004 - Travel section Wash Me / Wear Me Bag February 2004 Dance Teacher Magazine February 2004 - "Worth A Look" monthly column Red Silk Neck Pillow Modern Bride February/March 2004 Liso Bowls, Tampere Candles January 2004 Oprah January 2004 Footprint Scale Low Carb Living Magazine January 2004 "Healthy by Design" section Yoga Deck 1 and II Redbook Magazine January 2004 Green Spiral Disc Time Magazine January 12th, 2004 Typewriter Key Bracelet Today Show Saturday January 17th, 2004 Woman’s Day Specials Budget Decorating Issue Displayed until March 2004 Tooth Toothbrush Holder December 2003 Parents Magazine December 2003 ABC Soaps Lifetime Magazine December 2003 Duct Tape Wallet, Tampon Case Country Living Holiday Issue (December) 2003 Pink Striped Herbal Slippers, Pink Diaper Bag Good Housekeeping December 2003 "Holiday Heads Up" Section Dress Ornaments Child Magazine Dec/Jan 2003-2004 Gold Button Ornament Oprah December 2003 Mirror, Fish and Comet Ornaments Bon Appetit December 2003 Red Champagne Flute Real Simple December Issue - "Holiday Gift Guide 2003" Fromage Plates Home Ft. Lauderdale December 2003 Rock Soaps Fitness Magazine December 2003 Sunset Dragon Diaper Bag Time Magazine November 17th, 2003 Puzzle Globe, Telephone Girl Card Case Women’s Day Special Slow Cooking Issue Adjust a Cup Woman’s Day December 2003 - March 2004 Sage Round Ottoman Celebrated Living American Airlines Publication Winter 2003 Fromage Plates, ABC Soaps Budget Living December 2003, "The Goods On Entertaining" Chalkadoodle Coasters Elle.com Week of December 1st, 2003 "Hostess gifts for Daily Essentials" Section Beet Parchment Bowls Chicagobeauty.com December 1st email "Holiday Must Haves - Win it or Buy It" Little Black Dresses and Plates Washington Post "My Shopper" Column and "Real Deals" Column Sunday November 30th, 2003 - Mary Jane Socks Sunday December 7th, 2003 - Heedley Pecked Me in the Eye Essence December 2003 - Present Perfect Button Ornament, Patchwork Journal Garden Design November/December 2003 - "Uptown Birds" Porch Swing Bird Feeder New York Times December 4th, 2003 "House and Home Gift Guide" - Bark Vase "25 under 25" - Fromage Plates New York Times December 11th, 2003 Modernist Menorah Boston Herald December 18th, 2003 Modernist Menorah November 2003 Bottom Line Personal Nov 1st, 2003 Winerd Upscale Magazine November 2003 Patchwork Journal Working Mother November 2003 Bottle Platters Time Out New York Nov 20th - 27th, 2003 Record Bowls Chicago beauty.com Black Dresses Glasses and Plates November 28th - December 5th, 2003 Lucky Magazine November 2003 Record Coasters, Record Clock Washington Post Sunday November 23rd, 2003 Dress Ornaments
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FEBRUARY 9, 2004 | ||||||
UNCOMMONGOODS REVEALS WINNERS OF "UNCOMMON COUPLES" CONTEST
NEW YORK, NY, February 9, 2004 - Just in time for Valentine’s Day, UncommonGoods has revealed their choices for the most uncommon couples of all time, in both the "Famous" and "Not-So-Famous" categories.
Johnny Cash and June Carter Are Top Choices in the Famous Category, With a Very Interesting Story in the Not-So Famous Category In the "Famous" category, the top Uncommon Couple is Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. Not only were the singers two enormously important artists and figures in American culture, they were also an extremely devoted pair, sharing enormous admiration and respect for one another and supporting each other throughout their lives. In the "Not-So-Famous" category, Kelly Krugh submitted the story of her great-grandparents, who had a most interesting similarity. When he went off to fight in World War I, she went off to work in a factory. She lost an arm in an accident at the factory, and a few days later, thousands of miles away, he lost a leg from a wound on the battlefield. When he returned home, the two, who had already been dating, saw each other, and got married within a month. You can read their whole stories at www.uncommongoods.com/couples. About UncommonGoods Founded in August 1999, UncommonGoods is privately held and headquartered in New York City. |
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FEBRUARY 2, 2004 | ||||||
UNCOMMONGOODS LAUNCHES "UNCOMMON COUPLES" CONTEST
NEW YORK, NY, February 2, 2004 - UncommonGoods is launching an "Uncommon Couples" contest, inviting everyone to submit an entry of 500 words or less describing why a couple they know is so uncommon. The winners will receive gift certificates from UncommonGoods - $50 for third place, $100 for second place, and $250 for the grand prize. Each week through Valentine’s Day, they will be unveiling a new couple at www.uncommongoods.com/couples as they count down to the grand prize winner.
Everyone Invited to Submit Entries, With the Grand Prize Winner to Receive a $250 Gift Certificate Featured alongside the winning couples will be a "Famous" uncommon couple, as UncommonGoods counts down their choices for top uncommon couple in history. They aren’t divulging who the winner is going to be, but a new famous couple’s story will be shown each week alongside the "Not-So-Famous" winners. About UncommonGoods Founded in August 1999, UncommonGoods is privately held and headquartered in New York City. |
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DECEMBER 6, 2000 | ||||||
UNCOMMONGOODS INVITES CONSUMERS TO FORGET THE FRUITCAKE
AND SHOP ONLINE FOR UNIQUE HOLIDAY FINDS
NEW YORK, NY, December 6, 2000 - Unique online retailer UncommonGoods (www.uncommongoods.com) invites shoppers to forget the fruitcake, abandon the aftershave and shop at UncommonGoods.com this holiday season for gifts that people will appreciate and remember for years to come. From unusual hostess gifts and stocking stuffers, to that perfect present for the person who has everything, UncommonGoods meets consumers' holiday shopping needs.Primed for Holiday Season, UncommonGoods Offers Shoppers Creative Gifting Solutions UncommonGoods makes memorable gift-giving both simple and satisfying this holiday season, offering consumers a range of truly uncommon gifts for everyone on their holiday shopping lists, at prices that are sensitive to most pocketbooks. Launched this past July, UncommonGoods is attracting an ever-growing consumer following, in addition to capturing the media's attention. Before this year is out, UncommonGoods' products are slated to appear in media outlets ranging from InStyle Magazine to NBC's Today Show to the New York Times. "For consumers tired of the cookie-cutter clutter of mass-produced merchandise, UncommonGoods offers an array of great finds at affordable prices for the holiday season and beyond," said UncommonGoods CEO and founder David Bolotsky. "UncommonGoods exists to foster creativity and individuality, and we're offering shoppers a new twist on seasonal traditions this holiday season." Uncommon Gifting Made Easy From incredible, once edible vegetable parchment bowls to hand-woven bracelets from Burkina Faso, shopping at UncommonGoods is a true exploration of the different. UncommonGoods makes holiday shopping both entertaining and intuitive, allowing consumers to shop "by person," viewing products appropriate "for him," "for her," "for couples," "for the host," "for kids," or, for the truly unconventional, items in the "fruitcake" section. Shoppers can also browse by price, category or product, including several compelling holiday-themed collections. These collections include:
About UncommonGoods Founded in August 1999, UncommonGoods is privately held and headquartered in New York City. |
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JULY 11, 2000 | ||||||
UNCOMMONGOODS LAUNCHES UNIQUE ONLINE MARKETPLACE
NEW YORK, NY, July 11, 2000 - UncommonGoods (www.uncommongoods.com), an online marketplace that offers consumers an exciting selection of high quality, creatively designed merchandise at affordable prices, opened for business today. Combining the treasures of a specialty boutique, the great finds of a craft show, discoveries from a faraway bazaar, along with some enduring classics, shopping at UncommonGoods is a true exploration of the different.Puts the Specialty Boutique, Craft Show and Faraway Bazaar on Consumers' Desktops UncommonGoods offers a broad array of unique merchandise for the home across a number of categories, including lighting, bed and bath, dining, accents, paper chase (home office accessories), his and hers, and gifts. In the coming months, the company looks forward to broadening its offerings in these areas, as well as expanding to additional categories where the desire for creative, distinctive merchandise is important to consumers. "We recognize that people are looking for ways to express their individuality and creativity in what they buy for themselves or give as gifts, a major challenge in today's chain store-dominated retail environment," said UncommonGoods' CEO David Bolotsky. "Most shoppers have a tough time finding high quality, creatively designed merchandise at reasonable prices. The goal of UncommonGoods is to put the specialty boutique, craft show, and faraway bazaar on consumers' desktops. Together with our commitment to provide first-rate customer service and our competitive pricing, we're offering a very compelling consumer proposition." "Our engaging and intuitive interface informs shoppers about the quality, cultural significance, production method, and style of the product and, where applicable, the story behind its creator or the Scout who found the item," noted Katherine Dillon, Site General Manager. "Our customers will know why the items they are buying are special." Seasoned management team The company has assembled an experienced management team under the leadership of CEO David Bolotsky, former Managing Director of Goldman Sachs' U.S. retail research efforts and an ecommerce industry specialist. Working with Mr. Bolotsky are managers with complementary backgrounds in content and design (Katherine Dillon, who launched and ran ABCNews.com), marketing (Marc Gibeley, who was Senior Brand Manager for the Jell-O Snacks business of Kraft Foods), merchandising (Ruth Waldfogel, who led Macy's product development for home furnishings), and technology (Daniel Howe, who led the development of a number of major ecommerce projects for Organic Online). Uncommon features and presentation UncommonGoods presents shoppers with an array of special features that make shopping at UncommonGoods an entertaining, convenient, and uncommon experience. These features include:
UncommonGoods (www.uncommongoods.com) is an online marketplace offering creatively designed, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices. At UncommonGoods, we believe that creativity and the expression of individuality represent two great human treasures. We have set out to create a business that makes uncommon goods accessible to everyone. Founded in August 1999, UncommonGoods is privately held and headquartered in New York City.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FEBRUARY 6, 2001
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| UNCOMMONGOODS OFFERS UNIQUE FINDS ONLINE FOR VALENTINES OF ALL VARIETIES
NEW YORK, NY, February 6, 2001 - Unique online retailer UncommonGoods (www.uncommongoods.com) makes Valentine's Day shopping simple this year, even when it comes to selective sweethearts, picky partners and hard-to-please honeys. Launched last July, UncommonGoods features distinctive, creatively designed "finds" suitable for a range of budgets. From perfume for the "unavailable" woman to "tough guy" hot sauce, from compass cufflinks to kamasutra kits, UncommonGoods has just the thing for valentines of all varieties.Launches "Better to Give" Program, Donating $1 Per Order to Selected Non-Profits UncommonGoods simplifies Valentine's Day shopping by recommending "gift ideas" for a range of recipients and tastes, including: "hearts & flowers," "hot & spicy," "just friends," "for her," "for him," "for us," and "for moi." For the undecided or last-minute shopper, UncommonGoods offers paper and email gift certificates in an array of denominations. "Whether shopping for a spouse, a friend, a parent or a partner, UncommonGoods offers consumers an array of alternatives to the predictable Valentine's Day standbys," said UncommonGoods' CEO David Bolotsky. "Instead of roses, we recommend our eye-catching rose handbag. If it has to be chocolate, why not give our handmade 'kiss' chocolate." Better to Give This Valentine's Day UncommonGoods invites customers to demonstrate their compassion as well as their passion with the launch of the Better to Give Program. For every purchase a customer makes on the UncommonGoods site in 2001, UncommonGoods will donate $1 to one of several specially selected non-profit organizations. The selected organizations currently include: World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the international conservation organization dedicated to protecting the world's wildlife and wildlands; Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) which provides immediate support to craftspeople suffering career-threatening emergencies; Comprehensive Development, Inc. (CDI), an organization that provides tutoring, mentoring and job placement programs for a New York City high school; and HarlemLive, an after school program in Harlem, New York, that prepares African American and Latino teenagers to be leaders on the Internet and in their community. "Through Better to Give, we are supporting organizations in which we believe strongly and whose missions dovetail with our company values," said Bolotsky. "This is something we've committed to doing since we launched the company; giving back is one of UncommonGoods' founding principles. Moreover, our Better to Give Program gives consumers an added incentive to shop with us: they shower their loved ones-- or themselves-- with uncommon gifts, UncommonGoods gives back." About UncommonGoods Founded in August 1999, UncommonGoods is privately held and headquartered in New York City. | |||
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| Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions Affiliate Program Site map | Order By Phone: 888.365.0056 |
| ©2000 UncommonGoods™ L.L.C. 140 58th Street Building B Suite 5A Brooklyn NY 11220 | 8 AM to 1 AM EST Mon-Fri and 9 AM to midnight EST Sat-Sun |