While I am a big fan of Etsy, Supermarket, BuyOlympia, and many of the other online retail outlets available for independent makers to sell their wares they always leave me wondering what all these things feel like; how much they weigh; how they are made and how they are put together. There are of course plenty of weekend fairs and marketplaces to see the actual work and a few shops and galleries here and there dedicated to selling the work of individual makers but they are few and far between, inevitably leaving certain parts of the country underexposed to this type of work. So I was excited to recently learn about The Foundrie, an upcoming holiday pop-up shop being created in St. Louis by Shelah McClymont.

 

 

From their site: "Introducing the first annual holiday market place known as The Foundrie. This carefully curated brick and mortar shop will feature the work of local artists, crafters, and independent designers. A small selection of vintage wares and revamped treasures will add to the eclectic mix and overall aesthetic to create a remarkable shopping experience for our well deserving customers. "We are looking to fill the shop with hand picked items from the following categories: housewares, jewelry, clothing, accessories, stationery, and fine art. In order to create a unified and beautifully merchandised space we are focusing our search on items with a specific style and design in mind." Applications for space on the Foundrie's shelves will be accepted until Halloween so if you're interested, get on it!