I’ve always liked Pocahontas.
I mean, I can warble Colours Of The Wind – a la the Disney movie and all – and I think that a deerskin and turquoise combination can be quite fetching.
So when I heard that there was a Native American- inspired gear and goodies shop in Orchard Central, I was full of anticipation.
Signature style
My initial impression when I walked into 310 Woodland? There has to be at least 50 shades of brown represented here.
The store sells leather goods such as handbags, shoes and pouches.
Moccasins with intricate beading caught my eye almost immediately.
And I enjoyed browsing its range of leather bags – they were of different sizes with some fringe and beading details, and were littered throughout the shop.
It was also well-stocked with beautiful dreamcatchers – the Native American woven hoops, which supposedly allow only the good dreams to filter through – of different sizes and colours.
But if fringe, beads and feathers – which I personally adore – don’t tickle your fancy, the simpler designs in the store might.
There were plain leather coin pouches, such as a small triangular pouch that came in a gorgeous mustard colour.
Price point
It was a little pricey for this stingy secret shopper.
Granted it’s leather and all, but these are not quite the prices that a regular young person would find easy to handle.
For instance, a small phone pouch costs about $75.
While it was of fairly good craftsmanship and had some bead details, I felt that it didn’t warrant such a price tag.
After all, it costs more than my monthly cell phone bill!
There were also colourful beaded earrings for sale at $25 a pair.
But they didn’t seem unique. I could probably find something similar at a big chain store for half the price. I reckon that I’d have ponied up if I thought I was getting a really unique piece.
The saving grace was the pair of moccasins. They cost about $89 and that’s a price I wouldn’t mind paying given that the soles looked so comfortable.
Alas, my feet were too wide for those shoes.
Store layout
The store had a small workshop behind the counter.
But despite that, the retail side was of a comfortable size.
There were about five other people in the shop and I still had some personal space.
I did feel, however, that the items that caught my attention were either out of reach or placed in a locked cupboard, which was a little bit of a turn-off.
There were some small dreamcatchers at the counter, but the larger ones hanging right at the top appealed to me more.
I wanted to get a better look and had to get some help from an unfriendly salesperson.
It wasn’t as organised as I would have liked it to be. Bags were strewn all over instead of being in one section, which made it more difficult to browse.
And of course, the bags I liked were, once again, out of easy reach.
Service
The service here really tested my determination to stay and browse.
When the salesman didn’t return my smile when I entered the store, I knew it was a sign. And I was right.
When I asked for the price of one of the bigger dreamcatchers hanging on the wall, the salesman, who was sitting behind the counter, asked: “Huh, I must go there and take?”
And because I was browsing slowly, he rudely asked:“What are you looking for?”
I mentally applauded myself and my thick hide for not leaving right there and then.
Verdict
While the prices were an issue for me, I might have been more willing to whip out my wallet if I was treated better. But the service was so bad that I kept my cash stashed away.
WHAT: 310 Woodland
WHERE: Orchard Central #03-28A
WHEN: 1pm to 9.30pm daily
HISTORY: 310 Woodland has been selling Native American leather products since 1996. Formerly located at The Heeren, it moved to Orchard Central recently.
WEBSITE:
http://310woodlandleather craft.blogspot.sg
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