By Laurie O’Brien
Based on the enthusiastic response to their first Artisan’s Market last summer, Shipwreck Beads is busy planning a similar Winter Market to be held on Small Business Saturday, November 30, 2013.
Last August, Shipwreck’s Creative Director, Pat Simmons, and his staff put together a special event aimed at giving both experienced and novice crafters the opportunity to show and sell their handcrafted jewelry and other wares. Held in the parking lot of the business’s giant showroom near Hawks Prairie, the event drew dozens of local artists and crafters as well as hundreds of shoppers, eager to purchase handcrafted items.
Shipwreck Beads Winter Artisan Market, aimed at holiday shoppers, will be held indoors in the upstairs area of the warehouse showroom.
“This will be our second go around with this type of event,” says Simmons. “Our summer market was a huge success and was a great learning experience for us. This time we can do it bigger and better.”
“Giving shoppers the opportunity to buy unique handmade gifts for the holiday season is just one of our goals,” says Simmons. “These craftspeople are small business owners, and they’re Shipwreck customers,” he says. All local jewelry makers and small craft makers know about and shop at Shipwreck, and the giant bead distributor views these events as a way to give back to the community that supports them.
The Winter Artisan Market will be held on Small Business Saturday, November 30, 2013. First observed in 2007, Small Business Saturday is held in counterpoint to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and is used to encourage shoppers to patronize small local businesses rather than giant retailers, big box stores or e-commerce sites. “Providing a great venue for them to sell their wares is a way to promote small businesses in the area,” says Simmons. It’s also a great way for the locally owned and operated Shipwreck Beads to support their own clientele.
In addition to purchasing from local artisans, shoppers at the event will be able to take advantage of Shipwreck staff that will be on-hand conducting “make and take” mini-classes and product demos as well as providing basic jewelry making instruction during the event.
As with the summer event, local artisans and crafters are invited to rent booth space to show and sell their handcrafted products to the public. Interested parties should contact Shipwreck Beads for more information.
“Our end goal is to promote handmade crafts in the local community,” says Simmons. “We have already begun talking about summer 2014, and if the Winter Market takes off, then we’ll make this one an annual event too.”
Winter Artisans’ Market
Shipwreck Beads
8560 Commerce Place SE
Lacey WA 98516
When: Small Business Saturday, November 30, 2013
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
If you’re interested in selling your handcrafted items, please contact Shipwreck Beads at market@shipwreckbeads.com or by calling 360-292-4817.
To learn more about Shipwreck Beads and the world’s largest selection of beads, visit their website.
