UNCOMMON GOODS' UNCOMMON APPROACH; A GIFTWARE CATALOG AND WEB RETAILER OFFERS MERCHANDISE THAT SPECIALIZES IN THE UNUSUAL, THE WITTY AND THE UNFAMILIAR.

HFN: The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network, September, 2004 by Zisko, Allison

Byline: Allison Zisko

NEW YORK-If you're looking to outfit your table for your next dinner party, you won't find it here, but if you're searching for a unique gift, this is a fine place to start.

Uncommon Goods, a 5-year-old catalog and Web operation, prides itself on creatively designed, well-constructed, limited-distribution pieces that have a sense of humor and, if possible, an environmental conscience.

David Bolotsky, company founder and chief executive officer, sees to it.

"You won't find Crate & Barrel, traditional place settings, flatware. We tried that. Crate & Barrel and others do it really well. We weren't bringing anything new to the table," Bolotsky said during a recent tour of the company's warehouselike...