CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — From pop-up shops to a brick and mortar venue, 'Made Cleveland' now has a permanent home.
Founded in 2020 by Ash O'Connor, the online market place will be housed at 1807 Coventry Road in Cleveland Heights.
'Made Cleveland' allows patrons to purchase unique products from talented, regional artists and crafters. It's online market place is currently home to nearly 200 vendors.
The lease signing was announced Wednesday by the city. "'Made Cleveland' is a cultural amplifier,” Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren said. “It allows local artists and crafters to reach a much larger market than they otherwise might. By working with 'Made Cleveland,' we’re actually supporting hundreds of local small businesses.”
While the new location is O'Connor's first permanent venue, she's not new to the Coventry area. During the pandemic, she hosted several 'Made Cleveland' pop-up shops in the area, allowing her to connect with other merchants who then advocated for her to lease the space.
“I started 'Made Cleveland' because I was seeing two sides to the same problem,” O’Connor said. “Artists had been telling me for years how difficult it was to find consistent representation to sell their work, and as a customer, I had to chase after creators I liked when they had booths at art fairs and flea markets. Connecting makers and customers online was a no-brainer! Having a physical space to show creators’ work is the next logical step for us,” O’Conner added. “Nothing can replace experiencing art firsthand.”
In addition to selling products from vendors, 'Made Cleveland' will also host programs and special events which will add foot traffic and activity throughout Coventry Village.
“Made Cleveland' pop-up shops proved their store could thrive on Coventry without having to risk a big upfront investment in building out a permanent space,” said Brian Anderson, Business Development Manager for Cleveland Heights. “We see 'Made Cleveland' as a potential model for how other retail entrepreneurs might make the transition from online to a brick-and-mortar presence.”
'Made Cleveland' is expected to open late spring or early summer. In the meantime, you can still visit its website to support. Click here for more information.