30 Second Window
- People Tree is tree that grew into a shop, in Delhi and in India.
- A shop that is not just a shop, but also a great place to be at.
- It isn’t just a meeting ground but also a breeding ground, of art, commerce and madness.
- People from all over the country come to this tree to share, to buy and to sell.
- They laugh, they draw, they search, read and speak out, and they locate and relocate.
It was a fine winter afternoon with the sun just peeping out of the clouds and the wind perfect for me and my friend from office to enjoy a (cold?) cup of coffee. We were headed towards Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters in Lane No.3 of Westend Marg where we happened to spot this quirky little store around the corner. I jumped at the opportunity and entered the store only to find myself in a box full of surprises and creativity. Being a digger for art and out of the box creations, I thoroughly enjoyed my 15 minutes stop at the store. What I came across was truly beautiful in vision as well as in spirit.
In New Delhi’s old and famous Connaught Circle, during the early summer of 1990, a small group of designers, artists and friends managed – with the help of a few fortunate coincidences – to set up a studio-shop which was remarkably free from the impositions and demands of (heartless) markets and (artless) clients.
The ideas and experimentation that followed were the seed that grew to become the ‘People Tree’. Today, people here take pride in their reputation as a small independent business which combines a sense of social purpose and ecological responsibility with the spirit of collective creativity. This has been the vision which has guided their work as a design, production and retail center.
People Tree is a mad store with plenty of things to indulge in. The outside decor is enough to attract you inside and well, what do I even say about the interiors? At the entry sits a tailor who stitches apparel to perfection. The clothing collection is so different here that you instantly fall in love. The artwork here is beyond description. If you’ve got a taste for out of the box diaries, notepads, refrigerator magnets, cushions, bookmarks, accessories, bags and much more then this is absolutely the place to be.
People Tree is also synonymous to a book store. Find yourself lost here among your favorite reads. Name any book, and you’ll find it here. The best part about the store is that they’re open to suggestions and ask for any book and they’ll have it at the store the next time you visit. Not just books, the People Tree team is also always trying to make your visit more interesting and they’re continuously stocking films.
At the people Tree store some of the quirkiest and maddest T-shirts, crafts, artworks and books come spiraling out of the labyrinth to assemble here, waiting to meet their human counterparts. Perhaps you are one of them?
Where: 8, Regal Building, Parliament Street, New Delhi | Lane No.3, Westend Marg, Saidulajab, New Delhi
Timings: 10:30 AM to 7:00 PM | Sunday Closed
Contact Details: 011-23744877, 011-41501513
Check out their website here.