(Campbell Patch is starting a series for the holidays about people who sell things made locally. Send in your suggestions in the comments below or to brad.kava@patch.com)
First stop:
Kaleido Lamps
197 E. Campbell Ave.
On my first visit, I took pictures of these strikingly artistic lamps made by Tan Le, figuring I could never afford them. I didn't bother to look at the price tags. I figured similar items in shops in Hawaii or San Francisco would sell for a minimum of $500.
Then, walking by one day, I saw a $39 tag. What? A sale?
No. Most of the handmade lamps sell for $25 -$75, with some really amazing ones over $100.
"People tell me I should sell for more," said Le, who opened the store in February 2012 with some serious investment capital. It took $80,000 to make the molds for the plastic leaves which he sculpts into the lamps.
"I could charge more, but this works for now," he said.
I could fill my entire shopping list here and people would think I spent a bundle.
Le is a graphic designer who became interested in sculpting colorful plastic in school in Vietnam. He models them on a computer and then, puts together the individual pieces like a giant jigsaw puzzle. He and wife Cherry Do named it Kaleido Lamps because of the wonderful colors they project onto the walls.
As for making back his expenses, Le says it will be a matter of time. "Maybe a long time." But he adds, "I'm an artist. I like to create."
It takes from an hour to four hours to assemble the lamps if you want to individualize the colors or patterns instead of buying what's on display. He will customize anything, while you get coffee, wine or continue shopping downtown.
When is the last time you bought a piece of art that literally lit up a room?
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
