As you know, The Purple Store started Purpletopia™ as a concept back in 2004. Well, the world’s getting there.
You can now (or when it’s safer post Covid) visit a REAL PURPLE ISLAND. Welcome to Banwol Island, South Korea.
Follow the Purple Brick Road
Home to only 150 residents, this island community sports 400 vibrantly purple rooftops, 230,000 acres of lavender, 30,000 purple wildflowers, and a picture-worthy purple bridge connecting it to its island neighbor. Even the town’s signage is purple!
It started with purple rooftops back in 2015 and now includes everything from bike rentals to purple tableware in local restaurants.
Home to only 150 residents, this island community sports 400 vibrantly purple rooftops, 230,000 acres of lavender, 30,000 purple wildflowers, and a picture-worthy purple bridge connecting it to its island neighbor. Even the town’s signage is purple!
So now we’ll just need to add a location for The Purple Store and have us all meet there to hang out? Who’s in?
Purple Rooftops on Banwol Island, South Korea.
Calling all fans of our favorite color.
Night on the purple bridge on Banwol Island, South Korea.
Just like purple fan humans sometimes do, these clever violet sea snails (Janthina janthina) don’t live like most other snails. They trap air to create a special bubble layer inside so they can float at the surface and feed.
Because they float upside down, the purple snails’ camouflage goes in reverse. They’re lighter at their “bottom” and darker at their “top.” Fun snail fact for the day: They start out male and become female later in life (reminds us of Jurassic Park).
They’re found in warmer waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans and sometimes wash up on the beach in large groups. Yes, they’re purple mollusks but not the same one used to make purple dye.
Have you come across these violet sea snails? Send us any photos or stories!!
For a very limited time we’re giving away one of our fantastic, custom made Plush Purple Santa Hats with each qualifying purchase.
Purchase $75 or more in purple items (not counting gift certificates or similar), check the box at checkout to say yes, thanks, and we’ll include a Purple Santa Hat with your shipment.
Remember that you MUST click the box in the shopping cart or during the checkout payment step on our website to claim the promo when ordering on qualified orders. We wish we could send extra shipments out afterward so remember to click that box!
The Fine Print: If you wind up returning the order or the total amount you keep after returns or exchanges dips below $75, you’re welcome to either return the hat with the return or keep it and we’ll reduce any credit by the regular amount for the hat. Purchases must be for physical items shipping directly from us (so not furniture or such) totaling over $75, not counting gift certificates.
Gift certificates ordered (even if our cart might not always be smart enough to know this) won’t count toward the total, but orders placed using gift certificates do.
The promotion might end at any time so order while it’s available!!
One of our staff is studying film in college and made this fantastic video using just still images. Travel purple! Here are five great purple spots you can dream on visiting (or if they’re close enough that you can get there these days?). Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, Jacaranda Trees in Buenos Aires’, Argentina, Kawachi Wisteria Garden in Japan, B&B Lavender Farm in Sequim, Washington USA, and, of course, if you’re traveling to Seattle, The Purple Store in Pike Place Market, Seattle USA. We’ll leave the purple light on for you.
