Founded in 2005, Bon, a home, garden, and clothing shop in Tucson, Arizona, is located in a beautiful historic shopping plaza. The shop interior reflects its desert environs with natural elements make the shop come alive. An interesting mix of products from small brands, including clothing, homewares, and children's goods are interspersed tumbleweeds, dried bouquets, and succulents.

"It’s really important for us to see things in person - to see, to touch and most importantly for the excitement - the gut reaction to a beautiful object, piece of clothing or whatever it is."

Photo: Hannah Brown

When was Bon established? 2005

Why did you call the shop "Bon"? The name is short for Bonnie - my mom’s name. She had a store for six years before we became partners seventeen years ago, so it felt right to name our store together after her.

What makes Bon so unique? I think our shop is unique because it feels like the desert, but it is layered with European items and things from the East Coast. For us, the important thing is the way things are displayed together. For instance, we love the way a bedroom looks with a Bolivian frazada, a beautiful white coverlet from Portugal, a tumbleweed and a John Derian plate on the wall. Or the way an amazing antique porcelain figure under a glass cloche looks next to a dried weed that caught our eye on a walk one morning. It’s the mix of refined/rustic, new/old, east/west.

I think the celebration of smaller designers/makers is much more prevalent now than it used to be. I think people have seen the need to do so as things became so mass produced.... the result of that is the longing for something else. Because of this, it is easier now to find people making special things on smaller levels. And in a way, that has made our job easier. There is more for us to find to share that is made in the way we like to support.

Who are Bon's customers? Our customers are very diversified, but I think the common thread is the appreciation for things that are beautifully made, and things that stand the test of time both in durability and style.

Bonnie & Crystal Flynt, shopkeepers at Bon, Tucson

We have both always loved well made things and have been inspired by the passion that goes into them. Seeing the world become more and more homogenized, and quality on a large scale go down... it has felt important to support the smaller makers who are highly skilled, have an original point of view and make special things. Having a shop is something we have both been interested in for a long time. My mom started after having raised her children and needing to work, support herself and also do something creative. I was also interested in doing this sort of thing as a partner with my mom instead of working for a large corporation. It is also a great way to work and have a family. My partner is a musician, Naim Amor, and together we have a son, Lucien. When Lucien was born, he would spend half the day with my mom and I at the shop in a little basket I put behind the register and half the day with Naim. It was a great way to be a new mother/grandmother. Although it is not always easy, there is nothing better than creating your own atmosphere, supporting the things that you love, meeting such wonderful people and creating something out of nothing.

What inspires you? Flea Markets inspire us both. Seeing special objects makes us think of displays, layouts, and combinations of things.

Being out in nature also really inspires us both. We live very close to the Mexico border and the land between here and there is incredible. There are rolling grasslands- with expanses that go on forever. It is really moving. We like to find tumbleweeds, thistles, and other natural things in this area.

We love knowing so many great people- on both sides of our business- those who make the things we carry and those who we see and meet in our shop.  We also love having the freedom to be creative in whichever direction we want to go.

Favorite shops

• John Derian in NY

• Patch NYC in Boston

• Joanne Rossman in Roslindale

• Pod in Boston

• Astier de Villatte in Paris

• Stag in Austin & Dallas

• Alder & Co