RIVER OF TIME BOUTIQUE AND GALLERY IS NOT JUST A GIFT SHOP
STORY AND PHOTO BY OLIVIA LEGGANS
Sandwiched between Donkey coffee shop and Salaam Fine World Cuisine, River of Time Boutique’s color, character, and values spill out onto Washington Street. After relocating to their current spot in October 2023, the boutique and gallery has settled in nicely — without losing any of its original charm. For their grand opening last year, The Post did a profile on the boutique’s owner, Vanessa Kaukonen. Their characterization of the shop’s cozy-feel and bold commitment to local and global women artist representation remains true.
River of Time’s selection is not only wide and varied, but constantly rotating. The boutique is well known for its supply of convenient gift-giving knickknacks, but their array of clothing and apparel is a welcome surprise. From patchwork wool jackets to slinky patterned robes, the shop houses pieces that will definitely get some wear. Even if mandala patterns and eye-catching tie-dye T-shirts are not your thing, digging around in River of Time yields some subdued, basic pieces that you can mix and match at your leisure.
The shop supplies a significant amount of music and music memorabilia — particularly concerning Jefferson Airplane, as Kaukonen is married to the band’s guitarist, Jorma Kaukonen. A David Bowie paschal candle, Lou Reed’s book, “I’ll Be Your Mirror: The Collected Lyrics of Lou Reed,” and the Lead Belly T-shirt are just some of the standouts. Alongside the store’s scattered treasures fit for any music lover, there is an entire room dedicated to their vinyl collection.
Functional kitchen or toiletry items may be readily available at Kroger, but consider items like this ceramic berry colander or this 100% compostable toothbrush at River of Time. Supporting businesses that are independent and local is certainly important, but River of Time’s genuine motivation and thoughtful execution in promoting women artists is all the more reason to stop in. The Boutique is riddled with alternatives to daily products, yet they typically have more character for less money compared to their big-box equivalents.
River of Time’s maze of clothing, music, art, books, and stationary is a life saver in any time-crunched gift-giving situation yet make a mental note of the boutique’s expansive breadth and utilize them as a one-stop shop for personal needs as well.
While River of Time primarily serves as a storefront, they are also a gallery and concert venue. Original paintings related to various musicians, currently including Jerry Garcia Ray Charles, are for sale, both in-person and online. The space also hosts free concerts, which are typically advertised on the business’ Instagram account, @riveroftimeboutique.
On their social media accounts, the River of Time team consistently announces flash sales, raffles, and free music events. Vanessa and Jorma Kaukonen also release periodic newsletters available in their Instagram bio.
River of Time Boutique and Gallery is located at 19 West Washington Street in Athens, Ohio. They are open from 11am-4pm on Tuesdays and Saturdays, from 10am-5pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from 12pm-4pm on Sundays, and closed on Mondays.
