Resilience, Community, And The Real Cost Of Keeping A Creative Space Alive

A beloved shop is closing after fifteen years, and that news becomes the spark for a candid look at what it truly takes to keep a creative space alive. We talk about the hidden math of brick-and-mortar retail, the emotional toll of slow walk-in traffic, and the small pivots that add up—adjusting hours, focusing on classes and events, and building offerings that bring families into the studio to make, paint, and play.

Along the way, we celebrate the network that keeps artists moving forward. From a mobile gift shop making the leap to a storefront to a friend relocating her studio in a blizzard, these stories show how community, grit, and practical help can turn a hard season into a fresh start. We also share how non-monetary support matters: a post shared, a review written, or a recommendation sent to a friend. For those who prefer shopping online, affiliate links and small e-commerce setups can quietly keep the lights on without asking anyone to spend more than they planned.

If you’ve ever wondered how to support local makers when money is tight, you’ll leave with concrete ideas—buy a gift card, book a class, pick up a small piece for a raffle, or simply amplify the work you love. We’re honest about margins, transparent about what the studio currently covers, and optimistic about February’s plans, newsletters, and playful community moments. Join us, share the episode with a friend who loves small business stories, and subscribe so you don’t miss the next chapter. Your support—of any kind—makes a real difference.

Chapters

• 0:05 Late Check-In And Purpose
• 0:29 Friends’ Store Faces Closure
• 1:56 Gratitude And Legacy Of Support
• 2:36 Hard Months And Low Foot Traffic
• 3:16 Adjusting Hours And Offers
• 6:50 Celebrating Others In Transition
• 8:19 Resilience And How To Support Local
• 8:49 Online Shop And Affiliate Help
• 9:43 Non-Monetary Support Matters
• 10:58 Help Us Help You
• 11:39 Asking For Help And Staying Warm

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:05

Hello everyone. Welcome back to a new episode of Bruttifully Made. I am a little late, like a day late. I was busy this week and didn't get to record on the day that I wanted to, but I at least wanted to finish off the month with another um segment and say hello and talk a little bit about uh a legacy. Um I was kind of blindsided by some news yesterday with um some friends that have a shop here in the plaza. Um they're closing and they have been a brick and mortar business, a creative home interior design decorating, sold furniture, clothing, home decor, wall decor. Uh they used to sell my art when they had a different location. Um, I've done art for them at this location, um, and they're closing their doors at the end of next month. And it just breaks my heart. I'm gonna miss seeing them. Uh, but I understand. And I really, you know, commend them on staying in business for 15 years. They were at a few locations. I believe this is at least their third, if not more, uh, within that time frame, moving in different locations and opening a second one at one time too. Uh, but just uh a mother and daughter, and really the family, you know, her son and daughter-in-law and her other daughter, they were all involved. And they're just like, yeah, the economy uh isn't really supporting what they're doing anymore. And they're going to transition to maybe doing some online pop-up boutiques and maybe some of the markets that are in here in our community, those boutiques, um, but no more brick and mortar. So it was really sad to hear that. And, you know, just wanting to share their journey and shout them out, um, Elaine and Erica with Bird's Nest. I love you both and love your family so much. And um just really want to share whenever you're going to do your pop-ups and um just express how you know I much I admire you. I really wouldn't be here in my location if it wasn't for the help of Elaine. She's also a real estate agent, and so she helped me go through my contract, and that was um a big help to understand some of the things that were requested and what I needed to do. So just that that networking that you do throughout your life and supporting one another and cheering one another on, uh, it does transition into new ways, but it, you know, it it makes me worried and scared, and you know, I'm still plugging along and uh it's not easy. Um, these last two months have been super, super difficult. The um walk-in traffic is extremely low. Um, if I have an event or a class or something scheduled, those turn out okay. But just to have people pop in and shop or do something is like null and void. And I've adjusted my hours to support doing some other things um rather than I guess relying on that kind of activity because I, you know, am new at this. I mean, this is going on two years, and um, it's a different outline of business than what the clothing and boutique was, but still relies on, you know, foot traffic and people wanting to pop in and shop from the gift shop and the clothes that I do have, or the art that is on the wall from the exhibiting artist, or you know, wanting to sit down and make something, paint something, you know, do something fun with their families, pop in and play a game. Um, so it still relies on community support. And I totally try to give back when people call or ask or walk in wanting a donation, and I've never seen their face before. I've never seen them in the studio before, I've never heard from them before. I always try to at least offer something, some kind of little art kit or something that they can have to go out the door to build a basket for their raffles, um, whatever I can do, but that's literally coming out of my pocket. I mean, that is not something that the business fully can support. I am not at the point where I am actually taking any kind of a paycheck whatsoever from what I'm doing here. It is literally paying the cost of my rent and the cost of utilities and my insurance and taxes and all of those things. So it's just really needs to sustain more than just itself. And I'm hoping that that does turn around. And I commend Erica and Lelane and their family for making things work fabulously for 15 years. I mean, it is a very difficult thing. And on top of that, having this space, I'm also generating art, making art, creating classes, doing lessons. Um, and I'm still just me. I don't have employees. I can't support employees. I can't afford to hire anyone. I don't have that capability, but I have time and I'm able to adjust the times that I'm here to support all the other activities that I have put on my plate, and I can take on more, and I'm having more meetings to do more things with more people in the community to fill in those spaces that have become available because there isn't a walk-in, you know, situation where people I'm sitting here and people are shopping the whole time I'm here. So I feel like I have the um ability to change my structure of what I offer and how I offer it to support that and wanting to generate, you know, an income with my art and creativity and my marketing experience. And that's what's important to me is that I have transitioned to this transitioned into this time of life where my creativity can, you know, help me make a living. And so it's scary, it's very hard to do, it's very um daunting. And when you see your friends, you know, closing up shop and knowing all the hard work they've put into it, I just admire them so much and just um want to support them in any any way that I can. And I feel like that across the board with all kinds of businesses. Another business, she was so sweet, she's taken classes here, she has this little mobile gift shop. She's going into a brick and mortar store. She's starting hers. And so just wanting to support her, income in the Littless gift shop, you know, transitioning into a place, a location, and you know, wanting to support another friend who had this huge endeavor of moving her studio from downtown Canton at this, you know, big open space to a more uh central location into the walkable district of downtown. And she's been doing that in this blizzard, and they have been moving things, and I'm watching all of her, you know, posts online, and it's just amazing. I'm so glad she's surrounded by so many good people to help her. So BZ Tat, uh Vicky, you're doing a wonderful job getting a new location set up. I can't wait to visit it. I still have a piece of art I have to pick up from one of your artists that I got at your show, and I haven't even got to make it down to do that. But you know, I'm just very excited to see that new space and all that she does to support the uh art community. I know that she's gonna make that rock. Um, just just there's so much transition and so many things going on, and so many people just trying to make it work, just trying to survive, just trying to be positive lights in everything that's going on in this world. And so that's what this message is about, is just that just resilience and finding that in yourself and seeing that in other people and supporting that. That's what we need more of. And so I just want you to recognize that in your own community. Look around and see the places that are offering their sales and offering good deals because they're wanting to make it, they're wanting to have you shop local and maybe support an online endeavor too. Hey, I have an online shop too. I'm I'm sharing stuff. I became an Amazon associate because if you want to buy from Amazon, at least if you buy it from my little shop, it comes back and supports me. I'll create whatever I can do to make it work for you and me both. And so I just want to encourage you to look for those people within your circles or find out about them or follow them and share their posts. Um, I have a rock star set of people that share things that I do all the time. And they're not even local sometimes. Sometimes they're traveling and they'll do it. And that means so much to me because it's awareness. And you can be that for somebody else too. So it's okay if you can't hand over a dollar every time you want to support them, but sharing them on, sharing what they're doing, supporting them in other ways, that's that's huge. And if you are asking for help with a project that you're doing in the community, support them a little bit, shop from them, um, get a gift certificate out of your pocket for a person in your life. You know, do something to help when you come back and they are giving you something for that donation or or whatever it is that your organization or you're volunteering to help because it's it you don't want to say no. A lot of people like me want to help other organizations in our community, but it's often really hard. And so we need your support so we can help you. Help us help you. That's more or less my message. But um, but yeah, I just wanted to come on and say hello and tell you, you know, what's going on and cheer on those people that are trying their best because they need it, they really do. I need it too. As positive and exciting that I, you know, am about all the things that are coming down um in on my journey, there's still struggles and it's still scary. And um, I appreciate everyone who helps me along the way too. Because I am uh stubborn. I want to do everything and not ask for help because I feel like it's a burden sometimes. And I got I have to realize that that's not true. People love helping, and um and I appreciate it when they do. So that's my little message for today. But uh, I hope you're ending January on a much warmer note than we are. We are one of the coldest days today um that it has been in 31 years, according to my weather app. So we were uh minus 15 degrees when I woke up this morning and minus 23 feel like degrees. So it's been very cold. Um, but I am here. We have a little uh craft today. I have people coming in to paint, and I hope it's a good Saturday. So take care, stay warm. Looking forward to February. Hope you're on my newsletter uh list because it's going out tomorrow and the football helmet's getting hidden. So if you don't know anything about that, follow me on social media to find out uh more. So take care. Bye bye.