The Material Review

Issue 124: Sony's Dream Machine, Why We Collect, Experimentation, American Outdoor Brand Guide, Japanese 7-Elevens, How to Please A Customer, Hot Dog University Spotlight On: Shirts and Some Links.

Stories worth reading. Stop indexing the internet.

The evolving beauty of Sony’s Dream Machine

“We used to be a proper country.” [Prune]

Why do we collect things?

“Desire, nostalgia, loss, and completeness in the personal collections of Joseph Cornell, Peter Blake, and Vladimir Nabokov” [Cazadora]

Experimentation

“Perspective and low cost laboratories” [Elevated Spaces]

American Outdoor Brand Guide: The Most Influential Labels From Each State

“Every state has its own ‘claim to fame’ outdoor company—we compiled the top brand from all 50” [Field Mag]

Is America Ready for Japanese-Style 7-Elevens?

“Stephen Dacus, head of the chain’s parent company, aims to export its success in Japan, with signature offerings like fresh prepared food.” [NYT]

HOW TO PLEASE A CUSTOMER

“I HAVE BEEN GOING to Jerri’s Cleaners since I moved to New York in 1993. I maintained a friendly but detached relationship with the staff there for the first twenty years. Then a serious stain threatened a favourite pair of trousers and the relationship changed. Through several rounds of – ultimately successful – experimentation, I gained a sense of the lengths to which a true professional will go to avoid failure and please a customer. Recently I invited my dry cleaner over to discuss his working method.” [Vestoj]

Hot Dog University

“Yes, that’s a real place — tucked into the back of the Vienna Beef factory on Chicago’s North Side. Part classroom, part test kitchen, part pilgrimage for anyone who’s ever dreamed of slinging sausages for a living.”

[Switchboard]

A shortlist of things we’ve got our eye on.

Living in the Present with John Prine

Junior’s Oak Fair Isle Shetland Crewneck Sweater

Hamilton Khaki Field Watch “L.L. Bean”

Lloyd Pans Detroit Style Pizza Pan

Worne x Benjamin Lilof Canvas Tote Bag

Shirts

Gitman Vintage Black Japanese Checked Twill

Pilgrim Albert Field Shirt

Drake’s Indigo Canvas Two-Pocket Western Shirt

Rivay Shaw Selvedge Oxford Button Down

Sunspel Button Down Flannel Shirt

• TUDOR - Splashdown - The Little-Known Story of Navy Frogmen and the Space Program

• Rejected Vanity Plates - This site hosts a database of real California vanity plate applications from 2015–2016, including the applicant’s reasoning and a DMV reviewer’s comments.

• Ldial - Listen to the best independent and community radio stations in the US

• Dead Simple Sites - The most minimal sites on the web, curated in one place.

• Watch Buying Etiquette - Do’s and Dont’s