Celebrate Local moving to new storefront in January 2013

Announcements — By Melanie McIntyre on November 23, 2012 at 8:00 am

In the new year, Celebrate Local will have a new home at Easton Town Center.

The shop, which sells a variety of Ohio-produced handmade and artisan goods, is relocating to a 2,943-square-foot space at 3952 Townsfair Way, located between Panera Bread and Restoration Hardware across from Crate & Barrel.

Celebrate Local opened its current location −4030 The Strand East− Oct. 1, 2011. It was conceived as a holiday pop-up shop that would extend the selling season for the Easton Farmer’s Market.

On opening day, the shop had merchandise from about 65 vendors. To date, it has merchandise from about 220 vendors.

Celebrate Local carries everything from wine, maple syrup, and dog treats to stationery, lotion, and upcycled children’s clothing.

One reason Celebrate Local has been so successful is that the shop’s associates work very hard to provide a wonderful experience to everyone who walks through the doors, says its co-creator Heidi Maybruck.

If needed, the shop’s vendors can get assistance with social media, marketing, merchandising, and funding internally and through the Economic and Community Development Institute.

“We give our vendors a platform to raise their branding potential and hopefully expand to other locations,” Maybruck says. “We also work closely with Ohio Proud and The Ohio Grape Industries committee of The Ohio Department of Agriculture, who have greatly supported us since our inception.”

Additionally, patrons get to meet Celebrate Local’s vendors at in-store tastings, samplings, and trunk shows, which helps foster personal relationships between consumers and the people making their favorite items, she says.

Dec. 31 is the last day Celebrate Local will be in its existing space.

“We are presently under construction and hope for a seamless transition to our new location sometime in mid-to-late-January 2013,” she says.

To learn more about Celebrate Local, visit CelebrateLocal.wordpress.com. or call 614-471-6446.

Author Bio: Melanie McIntyre:
Melanie McIntyre has served as editorial director of The Metropreneur since its launch in 2010. She previously worked as a staff writer for a business and legal newspaper, where she wrote more than 500 stories about finance and real estate and development in Central Ohio. Since 2008, Melanie has worked on a freelance basis for several local entities, including Columbus Underground, where she is a featured writer. She also blogs about fashion, style, and pop culture at Thoroughly Modern Melly. Melanie is a graduate of The Ohio State University, lives in the Short North, and enjoys reading and running.