Handmade Kalamazoo pops up on Kalamazoo Mall

In November Handmade Kalamazoo, popped up selling art work at 509 Vine Street, the offices of the Vine Neighborhood Association. Throughout December the artists' work can be found at 346 Kalamazoo Mall, across from the Epic Center. 

 

"We wanted to keep the momentum going," says Melissa Al-Azzawi, who co-owns Handmade Kalamazoo with Bailey Mead. The momentum started building  started earlier this year with a $250 Changemakers grant from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. The money went to bring together artists to talk about the best way for promoting their work. The idea of a gift shop emerged as the right way to proceed and Al-Azzawi and Mead formed a small business to sell local handmade art.

 

The community was incredibly supportive of Handmade Kalamazoo in its first month selling the work of local artists, encouraging its organizers to seek out a second location. Building owner Tom Huff agreed to rent them space recently vacated by Ace's Cycless for the month of December.

 

At the shop the work of the initial 18 artists can be found along with that of 10 more who have recently asked to have their work seen there. "Since we have been here on the mall people have been coming in with their art," Al-Azzawi says. "At first we were going to jury all the artwork, but now if you come in and your work excites us we'll take it." 

 

Beyond artwork, Handmade Kalamazoo also sells music by local musicians, including the Corn Fed Girls, Red Sea Pedestrians, Ian Gorman, Jay Gavan, Glow Friends, Mark Duval, Notorious ABC, and Who Hit John?

 

The store will continue to pop up in new locations not only to keep the vibrancy that comes from the unpredictability of turning up in a new spot each month, but also for practical considerations. Al-Azzawi and Mead cannot yet afford the overhead that comes with their own storefront. Although you would not know that from walking in the front door of the 1,000-square-foot shop on the Kalamazoo mall. One of the friends of the organizers donated vintage antiques from her collection that allow the local art to be displayed in style. 

 

There also are T-shirts with the Handmade Kalamazoo logo and others that proudly display the slogan: Born and Raised Kalamazoo. Cups and mugs, handmade soaps and huge ceramic section will help those seeking stocking stuffers. 

 

Al-Azzawi says the Handmade Kalamazoo is an umbrella organization under which local art can be promoted, made and sold. Formed to help sustain the local artist economy, it brings together resources that artists need to succeed.

 

What they have found is that artists want to support one another and other people want to support the artists because they are neighbors.

 

The local shopping movement to support friends and family and others from Kalamazoo is "part of who we are," says Al-Azzawi.

 

"Kalamazooans at our roots are supportive of each other," says Al-Azzawi. "That's part of who we are."

 

The  boutique gift shop is open from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.