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Craft Chemistry, the small art shop located at 745 N. Salina St., is closing its doors next month. The shop’s last business day will be Saturday, Feb. 2; information about a farewell party will be forthcoming. After more than three years in business, creator and owner Briana Kohlbrenner has decided the time has come to move on to different artistic ventures. The decision is not from lack of success with the retail shop, however.
“The shop actually had a great year. 2012 was fantastic,” Kohlbrenner said. “I had an increase in business all around.”
Kohlbrenner, who also works at The Gallery at Onondaga Community College, said the decision has been stirring since the summer, and was officially made in the fall. “I wanted to get more involved in doing more events and a larger market series,” explained Kohlbrenner. “It sort of made sense that it would be a little more manageable without the shop.”
At the moment, Kohlbrenner shares the Craft Chemistry space with other local artists, Brendan Rose, Jeff Walter and Damian Vallelonga. While the plans have not been finalized yet, the group of artists has another business is the works. “What I can tell you is we’re going to be temporarily transforming the {Craft Chemistry} storefront we’re in right now until we can find a space,” said Kohlbrenner. “Eventually the larger goal is a larger event space.”
Kohlbrenner did not go into great detail about the artists’ future plans, but she did mention potential for more regular markets. After seeing the success of this fall’s Salt and Pepper markets, this is no surprise. “The markets are more successful,” noted Kohlbrenner, speaking of the annual events. “The vendor can make in the Salt Market in one day what they can make in a year here {at the shop}.”
So when the time came, Kohlbrenner asked herself, “Can I do something more successful with more markets, where the artist can be more successful and it can benefit the community more?”
Judging from the outcome of the markets in the past, it’s a safe assumption the answer will be an emphatic yes. As the year moves forward, we’ll keep an eye on the exciting new happenings in the art world and keep you posted. But for now, what do the final weeks hold for Craft Chemistry?
“Now until close, there’s 25 percent off everything,” said Kohlbrenner. “They’ll never get prices like that from the artists again. It’s an incentive to come in and say goodbye. Or if they’ve never been here before, now’s their chance.”
During the interlude between Craft Chemistry and whatever is next, there’s a plan for an art happening in the soon-to-be-empty space. “It’ll be something in the moment that people would want to participate in,” Kohlbrenner promised.
With her plans spinning into motion, Kohlbrenner knows people will be sad to bid Craft Chemistry farewell, but she has a feeling the closure will open up doors for others anxious to jump into the art retail world. “Overall I kind of feel like when something like this closes, there’s something in the woodwork that someone else has been wanting to do,” Kohlbrenner said. “I’m just hoping that there’s something else in the woodwork that someone’s been brewing. This is an opportunity for them, and they can be like, ‘This is my spotlight now.’”
Until Craft Chemistry closes, you can visit Tuesdays to Fridays from 1 to 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit them online at craftchemistry.com.
