Go to any major U.S. city and you’ll find craft fairs, pop-up shops and even mobile boutiques filled with artisans bringing the latest in handmade, cutting edge design and fashion.
Savannah, too, is home to a host of talented artisans, but rarely do they have a chance to convene in one space — until now.
A holiday pop-up shop that will debut this Friday at 18 E. Broughton St. will host merchandise from 16 area artisans, with merchandise ranging from handmade leather tees to children’s costumes to custom hand bags to floral arrangements.
Called Broughton Exchange, the shop is being sponsored by Ben Carter Enterprises and is part of the developer’s broader goal to transform the corridor into a top retail destination.
Karen Guinn, a publicist for Carter’s Broughton Street Collection, said the idea for the pop-up store came after she visited the Dover Street Market in New York City, a multi-level fashion center housing dozens of designers.
“It feels very curated ... you feel like the artists and their designs are on display in a museum,” said Guinn, who visited New York in September for Fashion Week.
Many Savannah-based designers only sell online or wholesale, so the store gives them a chance to have a brick-and-mortar presence in the heart of downtown, said Guinn.
Working with Abbie Hastings, a former manager at Zia Boutique, and interior designer Robby Perkins, the team transformed 18 E. Broughton, formerly Gaucho boutique, into a contemporary, warm space with an Americana motif. The storefront windows are already decked out for the holidays, featuring a polar bear gazing menacingly at a mannequin.
“There’s nothing in Savannah like Dover Street Market, so the idea was great to give a simple platform for local designers to display their stuff that stepped it up a little bit,” said Perkins.
Hastings said they tried to find an eclectic mix of merchandise from designers who don’t already have a presence on Broughton, like Gianina Gabriel.
Gabriel is the creator of the brand Well-Loved, specializing in heirloom quality leather purses and accessories. She said coming from Chicago where there are many events for professional crafters, it’s nice that Savannah is catching on.
“All of these events are just a response to the fact that we need to create opportunities for small businesses, especially ones without storefronts,” she said. “This type of shop, you really get to have more of a personal connection.”
Ben Carter Enterprises hosted a similar pop-up store in the space now occupied by J. Crew during Savannah Fashion Week. Brooke Atwood, another local clothing designer, participated in that pop-up and will be selling her line of leather shirts at the Broughton Exchange.
“There’s so many of us, and we’re all spread out,” she said. “It’s great for locals and tourists to be able to experience the local talent we do have.”
Guinn said they hope to eventually make the Broughton Exchange a permanent part of the street, allowing a rotation of local designers to sell their merchandise year-round.
“With Broughton Exchange, we want to create that platform to showcase the local designers and the local talent,” she said.
The store will operate every Friday through Sunday from Nov. 28 until Dec. 21. The store will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Gabriel said she looks forward to interacting with the public and hanging out with her fellow designers.
“It’s going to be wonderful to be on Broughton and have your stuff considered amid stores like Anthropologie and J. Crew,” said Gabriel. “It really makes for a nice mix of things.”
If you go...
What: Broughton Exchange
Where: 18 E. Broughton St.
When: Grand opening Black Friday (Nov. 28)
Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sundays, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
Nov. 28-30; Dec. 5-7, 12-14, 19-21
DESIGNERS:
MLiz Designs
Mamie Ruth
Metal Pressions
Troy Allen
Brooke Atwood
Love Lane
Leslie Miller
April Johnston
Ridley Stallings
Future on Forsyth
Lauren Winter
Sarah Jane
Forrest and Fin
Well-Loved Designs
Blum by Megan Benson
Wild Wix Candles by Aimee O’Neil