A haven for artisans and female creatives is expanding. Mosaic Makers Collective is upgrading its Bishop Arts shop to a new location a few blocks away, growing from eight women in a 300-square-foot space to 50 makers in 2,000 square feet, all in under two years.
"Because of its quirky nature, artsy heart, and local focus, we've always known that the Bishop Arts District was the 'hood for us," says founder Katy Sensenig Schilthuis. "In the new space, we can continue to grow and share community — both between the makers in the collective, and with the public."
The new storefront will be located at 401 N. Bishop Ave., a desirable corner location next to Eno's Pizza Tavern that was recently the home of sustainable clothing and lifestyle store Harkensback. Customers can begin shopping during the grand opening weekend of April 3-5.
Schilthuis founded the collective because she didn't want makers to be alone.
"Simply put, there is a need for community in an often-isolating artisan lifestyle," she says. As the owner of her own stationery company, she knew that working for yourself could be lonely, and she longed for community. "That, combined with my love for supporting women-owned business and wanting to explore retail, birthed the full idea for Mosaic."
The bigger space has Schilthuis hoping to host six to eight maker workshops per month, with topics including jewelry stamping, iPad sketching, and macramé. She also has plans for two pop-ups: one for upcoming brides, and one for Mother's Day.
"Many of my makers have learned a lot about their voice, customers, and product as they've been a part of the collective," she says. "Fine-tuning those things has given them incredible successes, both in shop and on their own."
Mosaic Makers Collective will also host a series of events this March and April focused on bringing community together to celebrate the opening of the new space. For a full list of events, visit www.mosaicmakers.co or keep track of the collective on Facebook or Instagram.
The store is upgrading from 300 square feet to 2,000.
