I am in love.  In love with the shop Zona Urbana in downtown Sofia.

First, the shop is great--well laid out, lots of stock and it's all been neatly and thoughtfully displayed.

Second, the employees are friendly and helpful. Oh, and they speak English. You know, if that's your thing.

Finally, they are making nearly everything in the shop out of recycled, saved and found objects.  It's impressive. They're giving so many interesting things new life from old newspapers to car inter tubes and old vinyl billboards to recycled juice boxes.

[caption id="attachment_4029" align="alignleft" width="614" caption="My New Zona Urbana Clutch "]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4029" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4029"><img class="size-large wp-image-4029 " title="My New Zona Urbana Clutch " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/IMG_6841-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

I found some really great things there this past weekend. I'd love to post pictures but I don't want to give away any of my Christmas presents. I did buy myself a Christmas present. One of the hip clutches can can be either clutch or purse.

What impressed me the most were the range of different things the shop is making. They've got a couple of different sized totes and messenger style bags, two different size wallets (basically small and large) there are earrings, clutches and even buttons-pins.

Zona Urbana is super easy to find as it's almost right across the street from the Moroccan restaurant Annette's on Angel Kunchev #24.

Interestingly, the <a href="http://www.zurbana.com/index_en.htm" target="_blank">shop's website</a> doesn't do them credit.  Maybe I shouldn't even link to it but I have. The website makes the shop look more intense and edgy than the shop actually is. In person, the shop is youthful but bright in light and colors. The aesthetic is artsy and laid back.

There's a lot to like about the shop. First, they are doing really creative and unique work. Second, the prices are good for the product. And I like supporting local businesses. Especially ones that are creating such great stuff.

My friend P. and I agreed that this shop would be equally at home tucked away on a side street in Brooklyn, NY. We also agreed that in Brooklyn this shop would be selling exactly the same things and probably struggling to keep them in the shop while charging four times as much as they are in Sofia.

It seems like the streets of Sofia are getting more and more interesting each day.