And Company is an island of tranquility on the once-tranquil island of Zamalek. Following the trend of lifestyle stores, the multi-story shop offers high-quality home furnishings and décor for the meticulous shopper. The store is clearly offering an aura more than any one particular item. Upon walking in, the customer is greeted to low-key music matching the low-key but elegant environment in the old renovated building, previously an art gallery. And Company is originally a cotton company, which explains the fine cotton and linen sheets, towels, robes, loungewear, and even curtains and shirts available. All items come in earthy, subtle hues and patterns - not the place to find tiger-print sheets or Betty Boop beach towels. Cotton sheets range from 200 to 600 thread-count, with prices between approximately LE 220 to LE 490. Finer quality sheets of 800 and 1000 thread-counts are soon to come. Five-piece towel sets, Jacquard and plain, average about LE 280 and robes are about LE 270. Before slipping into that robe and getting ready for bed, the particularly sensual buyer may enjoy some of the shop's custom-made all-natural soaps, shower gels, and other products in the style of Body Shop, with unusual scents like Eucalyptus, Green Tea, Fig, and Cantaloupe. Some boast specific place names, which the salesman assured me captured the scent of the city named. Along with such traditional items though, the store offers a number of unexpected items for sale as well. Rugs, mahogany beds, and nightstands on display (including one antique), are all for sale, made specifically under the And Company line. The shop also sells artists' jewelry, sculpture, and artwork - which line the many hallways and stairwells - including works by Nagwa Mahdy, Amir El-Leithy, and Mostafa Yehia. Leaving no room unturned, the store displays books and arty stationary of the sort found in Diwan and Dar Al-Shorouk. The selection of books caters to foreigners mostly - explained well by the fact that 80 percent of the clientele are indeed foreigners. While some such items seem incongruent with a cotton company's outlet, it is clear that the owners were banking on impulse buys from higher-end shoppers enjoying a leisurely stroll through the many hardwood floors. And Company has had a second smaller branch in Maadi for three years and branches 20 years old in the US. Its newer Zamalek outlet is located at 3 Bahget Ali St. See www.andcompanyonline.com for more information.
