Photography by Caitlin Abrams
carousel + folk exterior
Say “hello” to carousel + folk, a newcomer to the Minneapolis brick-and-mortar scene. But co-owners (and husband and wife) Lindsey and Mike Cason are no strangers to the retail industry.
Carousel + folk was born out of Lindsey and her cousin Nikki Arrington’s Etsy shop, which they launched in 2010 while living in Chicago. “When the show American Pickers came out, it made us realize that we could make money off of ‘thrifting’ and ‘picking,’” laughs Lindsey. The two spent the majority of their free time thrifting homespun, boho-inspired home goods and clothing to share with their savvy social shoppers.
carousel + folk
“I would drag my husband, Mike, along on my thrifting adventures and he quickly became involved in C+F—most notably fixing and restoring old manual typewriters,” says Lindsey. After Lindsey, Nikki, and Mike moved back home to the Twin Cities, the three kept the Etsy shop running, while selling thrifted goods at a few local vintage shops. Nikki eventually started her own business, Astray Chalet, making hand-painted mugs.
Fast-forward to June of 2018, when the couple ditched their full-time jobs to open their first physical store. The quaint south Minneapolis boutique embraces an earthy, bohemian style with an emphasis on artfully curated and handmade vintage home goods and fashion. Almost everything that dresses the sunny space is secondhand (about 95 percent of the merchandise is vintage) and sourced locally. “We do find the occasional ‘newer’ item,” says Lindsey. “But it really needs to fit with our aesthetic.”
Find Turkish rugs and textiles, art, pottery, and a variety of houseplants—some of which the Casons “rescue” while out thrifting—plus plant accessories, and, of course, vintage typewriters. The boutique also carries a selection of thrifted men’s and women’s fashion, from flannels to felt-brim hats. 4205 31st Ave. S., Mpls., carouselandfolk.com
