The vacant storefront connected to Poppy Things in Suttons Bay will soon become home to rotating artists and creatives, part of owner Chelsey Skowronski’s effort to create more opportunities for creative entrepreneurs and strengthen Suttons Bay’s arts community.
The new venture, called The InterArts Collective, will offer one to two week residencies for artists, makers and other creative entrepreneurs looking to test the waters of operating a brick and mortar business. Instead of signing onto a long term lease or investing in the costs of opening and operating their own retail space, selected creatives will be able to rent the storefront for a modest fee while showcasing their work in downtown Suttons Bay.
“They can see what it’s physically like for a short amount of time without having the overhead of the utilities and Wi-Fi and all of the extra things that come with a brick and mortar,” Skowronski said.
The concept is also a callback to the building’s origins as it is historically known as the InterArts building - an open concept gallery featuring multiple artists under then owner Ken Krantz. It wasn’t until the 90s that walls were put up to separate the space into multiple storefronts.
Skowronski said reviving that collaborative spirit in this way has been part of her vision since opening Poppy Things in 2019.
“It’s kind of an ode to the original InterArts building and what Ken had originally intended the building be used for,” she said.
In fact, the original concept for Poppy Things itself was much closer to an artist gallery before evolving into the curated boutique it is today. When the adjoining storefront recently became available, it gave Skowronski the chance to finally pursue that vision.
The collective will host one resident at a time, with participants occupying the space for one to two-week periods. While visual artists such as ceramicists and painters are encouraged to apply, Skowronski envisions the collective extending beyond traditional fine art. Bakers operating under Michigan’s cottage food law, florists, workshop instructors and other creative entrepreneurs could all use the space to introduce themselves to new audiences.
“I’m just kind of looking for a variety,” she said. “I want to try to make it things that are different from what my store and other stores in Suttons Bay already have.”
One of Skowronski’s main criteria for applicants is that they are at least “semi-established.”
So while they don’t need to have a storefront, she’s looking for those who have some experience selling their work through markets or online shops.
The collective is also intended to address the difficulty of finding affordable retail space, something Skowronski said is one of the biggest challenges for creatives trying to establish themselves in the county.
“Storefronts are just really hard to find in general,” she said. “They’re very few and far between, especially in Suttons Bay, and when they do open up there’s always an insider, so by the time you even make a phone call, it’s already rented.”
Rather than taking a percentage of renters sales, Skowronski plans to charge a “modest rental fee” designed to remain accessible. She also hopes the collective will draw foot traffic to the north end of Suttons Bay’s commercial strip and benefit the neighboring businesses along with her own.
“When I do good, everybody on our street does good. We all work together to bring in more people,” Skowronski said.
Renovations on the space began in the last two weeks and are being done mostly by Skowronski and her team, with hopes of opening by the end of August.
For now, those interested in applying can sign up for updates through a link on the Poppy Things’ website or Instagram page. The formal application is expected to go live within the next few weeks.
