1831 Solano Avenue (at Colusa)
Welcome to Fern’s Garden, a place to find beautiful, hand crafted, affordable items that are made in the U.S.A. or abroad in an ethical manner. The artisans here that create and share their beautiful work earn a fair wage, and we support many American made companies. For the creations that are made abroad, we strive to seek out makers that pay fair wages and give back to their communities. You will notice that every product on this site explains where and how it is made. When you buy at Fern’s Garden, you can purchase something beautiful and feel good about helping those who really put their hands and heart into the work.
Fern’s Garden: Making a Difference
Once upon a time… our cars, appliances, furniture and clothes were all made in the USA. Gradually, these products were replaced by those made overseas. The gift industry has been no exception to the “globalization” trend. American artisans have been particularly challenged with copies of their work showing up on the mass market.
Once upon a time… a brother and a sister decided to combine their talents to look for the American Dream. Musician Jacob Sokoloff had a talent for creating musically tuned windchimes from steel pipes. His sister Fern had a vision that people all over the world might enjoy these enchanting chimes. From the garage where they started their company 35 years ago, Jacob’s Musical Chimes grew to become ubiquitous in the world of perfectly tuned chimes. The two were realizing the American Dream that an artisan with nothing more than a workshop and a vision could find success in this great land of opportunity.
Fern’s 35 years of experience in the gift industry gave her a unique perspective and insight to the challenges American craftspeople face in this changing world. Fern was living the struggle, as well as witnessing the hardships being suffered by her colleagues. She realized that even one great store focused on American Artisans could make a difference. And so Fern’s Garden was born as a venue for the hard working American artisan as well as a place to support Fair Traded, ethically made, imported art and craft.
Fern opened her first store in Long Beach, California in 2004. In 2017 a second store opened in Berkeley, California. Fern’s Garden is indeed a glorious “garden” of gifts. Please join us in our mission to support home grown talent, and not lose the beautiful art and craft created in this country. Thank you for your support, and for spreading the word. We thank you, and the artists thank you even more!
