NYC’s East Village still retains its charm, much of it thanks to its devotion to independent retailers.

Even so, it was a surprise and pleasure to stumble into TAMAM, which means OK in Turkish. An understatement, to say the least.

Owned by designers Clare Louise Frost, Elizabeth Hewitt, and Huseyin Kaplan, this shop of curiosities stands out in the neighborhood. And in true East Village fashion, the shop hours are: Open by Chance & Appointment.

Vintage carpets, Anatolyan plates, foutahs, ikat pillows, design books, block print scarves clamor for attention in the intimate space. This is no ordinary shop. It is a deep dive into the cultural and historical meanings of design, tradition and craftsmanship from Turkey, India and Afghanistan. I just learned that ikat is not a design, but a dyeing technique used prior to weaving.

Clare Louise Frost is not just a designer and shop owner. She lived in Turkey for nine years, where she amassed a encyclopedic knowledge of its design history. She also knows the craftspeople who make all their wares.

Once, on a brief weekend visit to Istanbul, I put the shop of Tulu Textiles high on my to-do list . I spent hours in there unearthing piles of pillow covers. Finding Tamam in my home city is serendipitous. I don’t need any more convincing that I need to visit Turkey again.

Address: 304 E 5th St, New York, NY 10003, Phone: (917) 388-3522, https://www.shop-tamam.com/