Walking by Milly & Earl on Graham Avenue you might mistake it for another Brooklyn boutique full of twee objects you can’t afford. Don’t be fooled. The shop, started by Bernadette Libonate, is the kind of place where you find more cool gifts than you actually need to buy. Libonate keeps the prices reasonable on her selection of cool jewelry, sweet t-shirts and well designed home goods. And, with its clean, nautical aesthetic, Milly & Earl is an amazing place to shop for the dudes in your life.
Drink Brooklyn In
For the diehard Williamsburger no beverage will do if not sipped from a Brooklyn Arrow pint glass ($12). Brooklyn Rehab designed the clean and simple graphic for Milly & Earl, to represent the 11211 zip code, and they’re the ideal addition to any North Brooklyn home.
A Wool and Leather Arm Charm
These Pendleton blanket bags from Point & Line come in two sizes, the larger duffle ($140) and the smaller satchel ($40). Made in Bushwick from wool and leather, they’re beautifully crafted and available in an array of different colors and patterns. They’re a little pricier than most of the other items at Milly & Earl, but well worth the splurge if you’re feeling flush.
Hang a Message Round Your Neck
If you’ve got a pet name or a private joke or a clever sense of humor to share, Metal Sugar’s stamped brass pendants, ($45-$70) make for an excellent customizable gift. You can choose from shapes like unicorns, hearts and circles of different sizes, poodles and more, and there are always a wide variety of sweet, funny and high spirited necklaces to choose from in stock at Milly & Earl. Allow a week turnaround time for customized pendants.
Team Blue Whale
The super soft baseball tees ($55) from Triune have a slight burnout effect for the lived in feeling of a shirt you’ve loved for years. And while it’s hard to explain why, there’s an undeniable appeal to wearing a giant sea mammal on your chest. Milly & Earl carries a variety of different styles and designs from the Bushwick-based designer, but we love the whale the best.
Class up Your Kitchen
Brooklyn Rehab also designed salt and pepper sets ($24) for Milly & Earl, and whether you choose the Brooklyn water tower and bridge version or the nautically delightful anchors, they’ll class up your table and season your dinner with equal aplomb.
Milly & Earl is located at 351 Graham Avenue at Metropolitan in Williamsburg. Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday noon to 8pm; Sunday noon to 5pm.