For six years, local residents have enjoyed Handmade Holiday Shop, the annual pop-up store filled with one-of-a-kind art and handmade items made exclusively by local artisans.
The term "pop-up store" refers to a short-term retail space, popping up in a different storefront for one to three months at a time during the holiday shopping season.
Previous years' locations have included the Hale Bath House, Lockwood's Tuxedo Shop, and Temperance Hill Square.
This year, the pop-up occupies the lower level of the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa at 239 Central Ave. Its first day of operation for the year was Friday and it is scheduled to remain open until Dec. 24.
"Popping up is a unique one-of-a-kind way to bring people in, and its novelty. You can say, 'Come in and see and meet the artists, talk to them, and find out what makes them tick.' I guess that's a pretty cliché way of putting it, but people like to meet the artists. It's a really good way to present the public with your art," said Jeri Hillis, local artist.
Hillis said the opportunity for the shop to occupy space at the Arlington Hotel is "unique, and supporting the Arlington and having them have confidence in us to bring people in is great."
Hillis said there are approximately 14 vendors this year, almost double the amount of vendors seen during its first year.
Items this year span a diverse range and include handmade ceramics, fine art, oil paintings, watercolors, jewelry, bronze and glass sculptures, upcycled items, handmade books, aprons, scarves, folk art carvings, leatherwork, pottery, soaps, coffee and stained glass.
Local on 11/25/2017