Port of Raleigh is one of those stores that, when it opens up in your town, you’re just like: “YES. Finally!” The lucky city in this case is Raleigh, North Carolina. Global citizen Ana Maria Muñoz founded the shop after traveling extensively and living in Australia, Los Angeles, Kuala Lumpur, and London. She is a William Morris disciple, believing everything in one’s house should be either useful or beautiful. Her taste is outstanding. Turn any direction in her spacious downtown shop and you’ll see something you want to buy: hand-embroidered throw pillows from India; stackable memo pads from Japan’s Ito Bindery; crinkly Tyvek organizing bins from Canada’s Toofifteen; and monochromatic necklaces from Industrial Jewellery in the U.K. She does the clean, white, minimalist thing well. Also the wood and stoneware and cork and sand-cast aluminum things. Ever considered buying a ladder just because it looked cool? You will after you see the Japanese ones Port of Raleigh keeps in stock. Consider us converts.

416 S. McDowell St., Raleigh, NC; 984-221-8008.