Supporting Small Businesses | Moop Bags

I realize this is a little bit of a diversion from photography, but I wanted to give a shout out to a local small business. And since last Saturday was “Small Business Day,” I think it’s relevant enough.

I love supporting small businesses. After all, I’m one myself. Small businesses are the backbone of America and employ millions of people. But what I value most about small businesses is the level of customer service I generally receive and their commitment to outstanding products. This is true for a Pittsburgh company who specializes in hand-crafted, high-quality bags: Moop.

You see, I’d been looking for a “non-diaper bag” bag for a while now, anticipating the arrival of Baby Schwarz. Although I’m thrilled at the prospect of becoming a mom, I just don’t want to lug around a bag that well, looks like a diaper bag. I figured that whatever bag I got, it would need to hold both baby stuff and all my junk (read: things like lip gloss, a million kleenexes, old receipts, and a giant water bottle). Having heard about Moop bags from some Pittsburgh photographers, I decided to see if they had anything suitable for diaper bag purposes.

And that’s where great customer service comes in. I called Moop and was able to speak with a real human being who kindly explained the differences between their bags and which ones might work best for me. I ended up deciding on the Porter bag, and placed my order on Wednesday. Today I received my new bag! Talk about fast service!

The Porter has plenty of room for all my stuff I anticipate hauling around: diaper changer, bottles, extra clothes, books, toys, you name it. I’ve got easy access to everything with snap closures, and I have the option to sling the bag across my body or carry it on my shoulder. And the best part about it all? It’s machine washable.

So if you’re looking for a new laptop bag, messenger bag, shopping tote, carry-everything bag, check out Moop. And if you live in Pittsburgh, you can pick up your bag in person!

Here are a few photos of my new bag (with a little preview of the nursery–more to come on that).