In just a few days, Seattle shopping writer Lei Ann Shiramizu will ever-so-quietly open the doors of Momo, a sweet boutique in the International District for those who live, seek or fantasize about a happy, lucky life.

Momo (Japanese for peach, a symbol of long life and good fortune) will offer chic French apparel from Cop Copine, trendy Japanese denim from True Brit, men's clothing from Mads Norgaard, jewelry, scarves, handbags, stationery and small home accents such as pillows and vintage dishes, in a high-ceilinged shop at the corner of Sixth and Jackson, the center of what used to be Nihonmachi, or Japantown.

"Momo is bringing together a mix of old and new, men and women, body and abode, Asian and European," says Shiramizu, a Japanese American from Hawaii who owns the shop along with her husband. "As a blended-race couple, we pick influences from both of our backgrounds (Minnesota meets Hawaii) to create a happy, lucky life. We want everything we offer to have form and function -- nothing is precious. That Chinese wood box may be 100 years old, but heck, it's affordable enough to stash your remote controls or stack of New York Times in."

With its peaceful green walls, rich reclaimed wood and Hawaiian-inspired grasscloth, Momo will offer shoppers a calm place to browse, as well as a window-side cubby to pen letters or postcards (which they can then drop at the post office across the street).

As an added bit of luck, Momo (600 S. Jackson St.) is located just two doors down from Kaname Izakaya and Shochu Bar, a stylish new Japanese restaurant and lounge owned by Seattle-area native Todd Kuniyuki-Hirahara, which opened in the former Takohachi space (610 S. Jackson St.) last month.

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company