Photo by Jesse Duarte
Everything at St. Helena’s Carter and Co is artisanal, handmade, environmentally sensitive and unique.
Welcome to the anti-Costco.
“People are tired of meaningless, fake stuff from China – things without stories,” said Pope Valley-based artist, potter, and sculptor Richard Carter. “People want a story and they want to meet makers.”
Since opening in May, Carter and Co has been one of downtown St. Helena’s biggest success stories. It offers everything from Joy Brace’s table linens to Susan Kim’s deerskin jackets to Mike Thompson’s olive oil to Carter’s own dinnerware.
Carter leases the space at 1231 Main St. from Richard Larson of Angwin, who used to operate St. Helena Antiques. Carter said Larson understood his idea for the space and supported him from the start.
Another potential tenant wanted to open a restaurant with a “million-dollar kitchen,” Larson said. “I said no way.”
Larson was relieved when Carter came along pledging to preserve the historic building.
“I knew his style and his taste, but I didn’t know he’d do such a fantastic job,” Larson said. “I’m so happy and so proud of him.”