Jeff Schorr of Craftsman House and Leslie Curran of Articles Gallery have teamed up to open Truffūla eco-boutique at 2935 Central Avenue. Located between The Collectors Exchange and Hawthorne Bottle Shop, Truffūla is an upscale eco-boutique featuring earth-friendly products. They carry a wide range of sustainable items including organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo clothing (The apparel industry is the #2 polluter of our oceans behind the oil industry), upcycled jewelry, vegan handbags & footwear, wallets made from banana trees, hammocks, and a number of reusable items: water bottles, bags, straws. The art selection includes blown glass and pottery, handmade by artists who use methane gas from an old landfill to fire their kilns. Truffūla is the exclusive Tampa Bay area dealer for Kenneth Cobonpue’s nature-inspired furniture and will feature the return of wooden furnishings by local favorites, Funktionhouse.
Truffula opened mid-December and will be having a Grand Opening Extravaganza on Wednesday, January 23rd. Colorado’s cosmic-Americana band Grant Farm has added Truffula’s grand opening as a stop on their national tour. They will be performing a free show from 6pm to 8pm.
Schorr owns Craftsman House Gallery and Cafe. He combines his degrees in chemical engineering with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and an MBA, with 25 years of experience in the apparel industry – having worked with Quiksilver, Roxy, Tony Hawk, and a co-founder of Grenade Snowboarding Apparel. He currently serves on the board of the Grand Central District Association, Preserve the Burg, chairs Movies in the Park, the Keep St Pete Special Celebration, and is a member of Keep St Pete Local, the suncoast chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, and Jerry’s Kids.
Curran has been a driving force in the arts community for over 20 years. She brings extensive experience in retail and gallery management as owner of ARTicles Gallery, Leslie Curran Gallery, and The Collectors Exchange. She served 16 years on St. Petersburg city council and currently serves as board President of Nomad Art Bus, chair of First Night St. Petersburg, Vice-President of the EDGE business district association, and board member of Grand Central District Association.