Well-Seasoned with Food Puns and Feminism

Amy Larson was only 10 when she realized that “opportunities and life were different for women than for men.” But after she participated in the Women’s March in 2017, she felt the importance of spreading the message “as loudly as possible.” She was working a corporate job in Boston when she came up with the tag line “Smash the Garlic and the Patriarchy” for a T-shirt. Demand for that slogan—now on tea towels, aprons, sweatshirts, hats, baby clothes, et al—spurred her on to others. “Shuck the Patriarchy” is especially popular in the Northeast. Both her brand, Overseasoned, and now her Newport store, Matriarch, have gone beyond slogans to offering 99% of merchandise by woman-owned businesses: cards, candles, crafts, cookbooks, jewelry and food items. And she has many more tag-lined products—two big sellers are “Hot Girls Eat Pasta” and “Hot Girls Eat Bread.” Glad to be back in her native Newport County, Larson has plans for “fun workshops,” and a book club. The store has a bright lemon theme, featuring a mural of lemons and oranges (Julia Emiliani) and even a lemon tree.

468 Thames St., Newport. MatriarchRI.com