Providence Pop-Up Encourages Artists to Bloom Where Planted

A pair of Providence artist-entrepreneurs create extended pop-up for local makers – just in time for holiday shopping

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For many budding entrepreneurs not quite ready for a retail space of their own, cooperatives and pop-up shops are integral vehicles for not only selling their goods but getting their name out there. When lockdown hit in early spring, small business owners and friends Savannah Barkley and Heather Wolfenden instantly saw their schedules of upcoming market events cancelled. “Many opportunities and spaces for businesses like ours disappeared,” says Barkley, who also couldn’t help but notice more and more empty Providence storefronts.

Barkley and Wolfenden saw a need and put their brains together to form Bloom Collective. “It’s a new way to collaborate with makers and creatives across the board to host one-of-a-kind pop-up experiences that will become a temporary home base for passionate minds,” Barkley explains. To launch, the pair set up at a vacant South Main Street storefront for the months of November and December, and currently host over 60 rotating and fixed local vendors.

“We feel that now more than ever we need to make space to safely engage the community, and give life to otherwise empty retail locations across the city,” says Barkley, who under the label Sir Milky Quartz, is building a lifestyle brand where goods both hand-picked and handmade share a similar aesthetic. Wolfenden owns Fresh and Fossil, a collection of vintage apparel and quirky items with the tagline Garb for Good.

“Being in such uncertain times, there were a lot of things to be considerate of to ensure the safety of those who shop and vend with us,” says Barkley. “By being open for six weeks, we are aiming to allow enough time for everyone who wants to stop by to shop local for the holidays without the crowds, kind of like an extended pop-up.” While temporary shops can feel sparse and cavernous, Barkley and Wolfenden quickly outfitted the location to be elegant and inviting. White walls are blank canvases for displays of colorful merchandise, and netted string lights above – and a Christmas tree – lend an air of holiday magic.

“Our goal is to make use of underutilized spaces in the city and bring new life to and creative energy wherever the collective finds its next home,” adds Barkley. And about the name, she answers with a dreamy smile, “Bloom Collective was inspired by the nature of blossoms popping up in various locations for a brief moment – they are incredibly beautiful and unique – just like the creative community in Providence.”

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