Shop of curated goods puts an accent on New York-area entrepreneurs

WEST VILLAGE -- A variety shop in New York's West Village is doing so much more than selling unique items.

Caroline Weaver believes that down every street and around every corner, there are stories to be told. And she's determined to tell them all.

Weaver's shop, The Locavore Variety Store, is filled with treasures and things one might walk by every day without ever knowing their origin story.

Her business is the culmination of a journey that began with a childhood dream and a movie that changed everything.

"My love of small businesses started as a child," Weaver said. "I watched 'You've Got Mail' more than any young child probably should. And I saw this job that Kathleen Kelly got to do, fostering this community and building this really special world in her shop, and I identified that as something I wanted."

Weaver set out on a mission to change the way New Yorkers shop by creating The Locavore Guide, a directory of the city's independent businesses.

"I decided to go neighborhood by neighborhood, street by street, and catalog every single independently owned shop that I could find," Weaver said.

What started as a digital guide has now transformed into a store where every product has a story and every purchase supports a local entrepreneur.

The store's shelves are lined with products made by independently owned companies that are mostly within 100 miles of New York City, a key part of Weaver's business.

In the age of chain stores and instant deliveries, the Locavore Variety Store offers something increasingly rare -- a real connection and a window into the diverse tapestry of New York.