Landline, Paris is a general supply store with a range of well-made goods for daily living. The shelved walls and center tables feature a variety of goods from kitchenware and stationery to toys and clothing, all neatly displayed in a pleasing and organized manner.

Established in 2020 by Franco-American fashion veteran Caroline Morrison, who sources well-made, sustainable European products made from natural materials with a goal towards a lower carbon footprint and consuming "better and less".

Caroline transformed the former dilapidated neighborhood pharmacy into a stunning store filled with utilitarian goods designed to last a lifetime. Landline offers a broad range of timeless wares, many crafted by heritage brands, with something for everyone - gardeners, children, cooks, men's and women's well-being products and clothing, pets, and gifts for all.

“Every product in the shop has a story — we are eager to tell it, and people are eager to hear it, so that they can understand who is behind what they’re buying and what makes it special.”

What makes Landline so unique? Our concept is unique and for us key in every decision we make when bringing in product: consuming better and less, things that last. We focus on products sourced in Europe to lower our carbon foot-print, that are made sustainably and in natural materials, avoiding plastics and anything synthetic.

We are a one stop shopping destination with our broad range of products. The shop has something for everyone (the gardener, the children, the cook, timeless apparel, writing instruments, well-being products, pets, home goods etc.).

Why did you name the shop Landline? It has a double meaning: the Landline telephone, an object from a time before our super connectivity, reminding us to slow down. And, second the literal meaning of a Line to the Land, acknowledging our sustainable approach to more mindful consumption – we feel it is a priority today to change the way we consume in order to move forward. Protect and take care of our planet.

Who designed the Landline space? It is a traditional French Haussmann building, probably from the late 1800’s or early 1900’s but when we took it over, it was a very unappealing pharmacy. They had dropped the ceiling and covered it to put in AC, screwed a metal store front onto beautiful black marble (we were able to salvage a few pieces of and put in the floor at the entrance) and set cement and tile over the original herringbone hard wood floor. We spent a month breaking up the tile floor and scraping the cement, worried it might be too destroyed to salvage but it was a real labor of love and turned out beautifully, giving back the space an authentic charm we would have never been able to recreate. For the rest, we restored the store front with artisans who rebuilt a traditional Parisian wooden front and Atelier Veneer who built our tall shelves inside. It was really a mix of going back to what a store would have looked like at the time of an old American general store. A mix of French and American – representing my cultural duality.

What are your best-selling or “must-have” products? We have such a range but a few of my favorites are:

• The mohair blankets from Brun de Vian Tiran, an 8th generation company dating back to 1808 that has a very special savoir-faire and make the most beautiful and cozy blankets. They are based in the South of France and even have a museum to showcase their know how and how it has developed over the centuries.

• The De Buyer frying pans. Replace your Teflon pans which need to be thrown away every few years and are carcinogenic with these iron pans that naturally become non-stick over time and are guaranteed for life. Better for your health and the environment since you will be keeping one for life and most likely pass it on!

• The tomato knife – made in France since five generations, a simple knife that I never knew existed before, that for me, has revolutionized cutting the tomato! Those beautiful, big farm tomatoes will no longer be squished and mushy because of a dull blade.

• Hand spun wooden tops made in Austria that remind us all, big and small, the simple act of playing and how important it is! They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, some even flip over!

"We opened right in the middle of the pandemic, and as a small shop, were allowed to stay open. The neighborhood, the community, really supported us and if there is a silver lining in all this, I do feel that people started to question, more than before, how and what we consume. Also, as so many businesses were going out of business, making a real effort to support local stores that give a charm and a sense of community to a neighborhood became increasingly important. Of course, online thrived during that time and still does, but in Paris, like in most cities, it is possible to find most everything locally, so I feel people, at least our clients, opt to buy in person rather than online."

Caroline Morrison, shopkeeper at Landline, Paris

What inspired you to open Landline? I grew up in San Francisco with a lot of awareness of what and how we consumed. Everything in our house was natural, organic, so that it was safe for us, as well as the planet (all your products that get washed into the water etc.). I had been living in Paris for twenty years and working in fashion – I had some amazing experiences, and worked for some beautiful brands, but it is a constant push for new, consumption, four collections a year and so many negative externalities. I wanted to do something that made sense to me, and having been in wholesale for so many years, and seeing so many inspiring retail stores around the world, a shop felt like a natural next step, but with my own take on what it means to consume today.

What did you do before opening Landline? I worked in fashion for fifteen years, based in Paris, as a Sales Manager then Sales Director (Marc Jacobs, Olympia Le Tan, Carolina Herrera).

What are your favorite local businesses?

• The Abbey Book Shop, 29 Rue de la Parcheminerie, 75005 Paris

• Herboristerie du Palais Royal, 11 rue des Petits Champs, 75001 Paris

• Fromagerie Goncourt, 1 Rue Abel Rabaud, 75011 Paris

• Ultramod Mercerie, 4 Rue de Choiseul, 75002 Paris

• Tartaix, 13 Rue du Pont aux Choux, 75003 Paris

• Dehillerin, 18-20 Rue Coquillière, 75001 Paris (for such a great range of kitchen supplies.)

What are your favorite shops?

• James Smith & Sons , London

• Piedàterre , Venice, Italy

• Ohmega Salvage , Berkley, CA (closed)

• The Shop at Bluebird, King's Road, London (closed)

• The Apartment by The Line , NY (closed)

• Filamento (for those who lived in San Francisco in the ‘90’s – an inspirational home goods store).

"It is challenging, as people are more and more connected and choose ease and practicality, but at the same time, for the very same reason, because of our hyper digital connectivity, I do feel there is a return to the physical store. There is a need for touch, smell, exchange, community which you cannot get online. When you walk into a coffee roaster and are filled with a wonderful smell, it cannot compare to clicking on a screen icon and putting it in your basket. Therefore, I do think there is a positive future, a need for the physical brick and mortar retail shops."