In May, a friend made me aware of a show called Crafty Supermarket but I wasn't able to go because I was in the midst of moving to my new home here in wonderful Southern Ohio. Fortunately, because I now live in Southern Ohio, I'll be able to attend the Crafty Supermarket's holiday show in November. And even more fortunately, Grace from the Crafty Supermarket was kind enough to share about the Cincinnati based indie craft show in today's SoOh Spotlight.
Tell me a little about your show and what it is all about. How did you come up with the idea of having a show and what was the process of getting it started?
Crafty Supermarket is an indie craft show me and my friend Alisha started in 2009. It was inspired greatly by the big indie craft shows in other cities -- Pittsburgh, Chicago, Brooklyn, Columbus, even. Cincinnati was one of the few big cities in the Midwest without a big craft show. We were both living in Cincinnati, but we met at a craft conference in Washington DC that summer -- we both thought it was ridiculous that crafters and makers in Cincinnati were so unconnected. My first book, Crafty Superstar, a business guide for part-time crafters, was going to be released in November 2009, and we liked the idea of creating an indie craft show that would also be a kind of book release party.
Crafty Supermarket is an indie craft show me and my friend Alisha started in 2009. It was inspired greatly by the big indie craft shows in other cities -- Pittsburgh, Chicago, Brooklyn, Columbus, even. Cincinnati was one of the few big cities in the Midwest without a big craft show. We were both living in Cincinnati, but we met at a craft conference in Washington DC that summer -- we both thought it was ridiculous that crafters and makers in Cincinnati were so unconnected. My first book, Crafty Superstar, a business guide for part-time crafters, was going to be released in November 2009, and we liked the idea of creating an indie craft show that would also be a kind of book release party.
We rented the back room of the Northside Tavern, which isn't very big, and fit in 15 tables for crafters. We were totally blown away when we realized people had been lining up outside the door all morning, and our six-hour show ended up attracting 1,000 shoppers! The show has grown greatly since then, and our lineup has changed a bit. Our last holiday show had 2,100 shoppers and 50 crafters! Chris Salley of Fabricate in Northside joined Crafty Supermarket after the first show. Alisha is now focusing on her new store, Smartfish Studio and Supply in OTR, so it's now just me and Chris. We're now getting ready for our fifth show, which will be Nov. 19, 2011, so it's also our second birthday.
How much of the show is influenced by the Southern Ohio area?
We saw a big opportunity in southwest Ohio -- there had been smaller indie craft shows, but never anything big. And we found that so many crafters were living around the Cincinnati area, but none of us could find each other! I've met so many great local folks since we started Crafty Supermarket.
What part of Southern Ohio do you live in and how long have you been here?
I've lived in Cincinnati for about four years (I'm originally from the Cleveland area). Chris has lived in Cincinnati for about 10 years.
What are your top 3 favorite places to eat in Southern Ohio?
Cincinnati's got some great places to eat. Take the Cake in Northside is right near Fabricate and has a menu that changes every day but it's always awesome. NADA is downtown, right across from the Contemporary Arts Center, and has delicious margaritas and Mexican food. And when it comes to pizza, my default is always Deweys.
What are your top 3 favorite go to events in Southern Ohio?
Crafty Supermarket is No. 1, of course! We do two shows a year, in the spring and around Thanksgiving.
Taste of Cincinnati happens every Memorial Day weekend -- you can try a lot of food from a lot of different restaurants for cheap! Plus they've got great bands and drinks, too.
And I also love the 20th Century Cincinnati show -- it's in February in Sharonville. You can see all kinds of great mid-century modern stuff there.
What are your top 3 favorite places to shop/thrift in Southern Ohio?
I admit -- I often thrift in Indiana, because Cincinnati's thrifting prices are a little high! But the Ohio Valley Antique Mall in Fairfield is awesome, and the big Tri-County Goodwill on Springfield Pike is also good.
Thank-you to Grace for taking the time to share about her show and her favorites in Southern Ohio.
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