Local artist to open pop-up store for the holidays
Nov. 24—Although there's been a delay in the opening of local artist Brett Manning's store at 430 E. Broadway, she's doing a pop-up version of The Lantern a few blocks away.
The Lantern is set to be one of the businesses going into the second floor above Bonus Pints and The Record Farm, but the opening has been delayed after an original mid-November target.
Manning and her husband, Frank Rouch, both of Royal Center, decided to launch a pop-up store because they had many holiday-themed items for the original opening of the store, like Cicely Mary Barker's Christmas Tree Fairy cards.
"We had all this stuff ready for the other space," said Manning, who first announced the pop-up store on her Facebook and Instagram pages. Manning has built a worldwide audience on social media with more than 135,000 followers.
The pop-up will open about noon on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 27, at 608 North St. The shop is about the same size as the one on the second floor of the Broadway building, so that gives Manning an idea of how she can lay that out, she said.
However, it has windows she will make displays for — something she's never done before.
The storefront that the pop-up is in is usually called The Shop, owned by Black Dog Coffee and Legacy Outfitters owner Scott Johnson. He's moved the maker space from the back of those businesses into the back of that building. He thought the front would work well for Manning when Rouch asked about it.
Johnson said he did it because he likes to help people be successful, especially in the arts. He also carries Manning's work in Legacy and champions her being known worldwide.
Matt Swisher, who owns the Broadway building — including its first-floor businesses Bonus Pints and The Record Farm — with his wife, Katya Swisher, said by email that they are "navigating some delays."
In the email, Swisher invoked The Network, a group of local artists and artistically minded business owners who work together and support each other.
"Glad to see our good friend Brett popping up at Scott's for the holidays," he said. "Again, another excellent example of working together!"
Manning, who was born on Halloween, describes her style as eerie with an intricate, dreamlike feel and a sense of innocence. She draws inspiration not just from her birthday season but from the mythology and folklore of the United Kingdom, including Celtic and Pagan sources.
The Lantern's name comes from The Hermit card in the tarot deck. The store will feature not just Manning's work, but also the work of others who have a similar style. That includes cards, prints, hats, candles, chocolate bars, decorative clothing patches, incense, smudge sticks and books — including the classic children's book "Bunnicula" about a vampire rabbit.
None of Manning's own items in the store are sold in her online shops; rather, they are exclusive to The Lantern, she said.
Some people have also tried to come into the store as they're getting it ready. They've taken down the store's name banner to let in light and not advertise yet.
"We still have a lot of little things to do," she said.
When the store opens Nov. 27, the first 50 people will receive a goody bag that includes a large artisan chocolate bar and items like polished stone, a notepad and iron-on clothing decals.
Rouch will be the cashier at the store most often, and Manning will continue to run the full-time, online business from home.
She has been running her business as a professional artist for about a decade.
Johnson has offered to let the pop-up store stay until the projected spring opening of the Broadway space.
However, Manning remains cautious about where it can go.
"We're just going to see how it goes," she said. "For now, it's just a December pop-up."
Reach James D. Wolf Jr. at james.wolf@pharostribune.com or 574-732-5117
Twitter @JamesDWolfJr
