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Common Room

Manila

What Common Room is known for

Quezon City concept shop in Katipunan curating handmade goods from 200-plus Filipino makers and illustrators -- woven bags, ceramics, skincare and paper goods -- founded in 2015 and reopened post-pandemic in its original neighbourhood.

Common Room (also styled Common Room PH) is a curated retail shop in Katipunan, Quezon City, that opened in 2015 as an outlet for local Filipino makers, crafters and illustrators who previously sold mainly through social media. The roughly 300-square-metre space houses a retail area stocking work from more than 200 local brands and independent creators, including handwoven bags, ceramics, skincare products, stationery and paper goods, and illustrated merchandise. The Covid-19 pandemic forced the business to give up its original Katipunan premises to stay afloat, but it has since returned to the same neighbourhood, reopening its store there and resuming its role as a hub connecting Filipino makers with retail customers. Beyond the shop floor, Common Room has run hands-on workshops and events -- including upcycling and craft sessions under its 'Mess Studio' programming -- aimed at building a community around Filipino design and craft rather than functioning purely as a point of sale. As a single operator curating and reselling other makers' work under one roof and one storefront, it functions as a concept/collective shop rather than an open online marketplace.

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Best for — Filipino maker stationery, pins, jewellery and prints

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