CO-OP
Hello fellow Chicagoland artist/artisan/maker!
We're launching a co-op! Our group currently consists of 6 artists/artisanal businesses, and there's room for one or two more to join the founding team of the Chicago Artisan Co-op for the holiday season.
We are Justin and Annie, cofounders of Mohop. We make custom shoes plus vegan bags, home decor, and gift items. We opened a storefront in West Town in 2021 and love our big bright space in Chicago! However, we typically spend our weekdays making stuff in Rockford, IL, and like you, we also do art fairs and events some weekends - so we are looking for more flexibility. We're converting our boutique into a co-op space and invite you to consider joining!
Basically, for $500/month, you will have your own dedicated boutique area plus window space on busy Chicago Ave. You will also have access to two large 4’x8’ work tables to conduct workshops and/or work on your projects, plus storage area, office equipment, break room, kitchenette etc. We also have some fun handy equipment such as a vinyl cutter, large TV monitor for workshop demonstrations, and more.
It’s basically your own store within a co-working space, and you just have to commit to working there around 3 days a month. Most importantly, if it is your day to run the shop, you must be friendly and inviting to anyone who stops in:)
We think if we could find some additional folks who love the idea of having a physical storefront with work/workshop space but also need flexibility to do fairs and events or just other life stuff, it’s a win-win for everyone. You get to keep 100% of your sales, and if, for example, you conduct one workshop a month, that could pay your rent! We envision this space to be very inviting and community oriented, with fun little parties for collection launches and just general conviviality, shared creativity and comradeship.
The boutique is 1,800 sf, a light-filled corner unit on Chicago Ave at Paulina, with 60 feet of storefront. We are looking for a wide variety of mediums/product types including clothing, personal care, candles, paper goods, fine art, home goods, jewelry, gift, pet, kids, packaged foods - as long as it has a local/artisanal origin. We'd love to curate a broad mix so that anyone who enters the store will find something that delights them!
We envision this to be a true co-op with each member having some limited responsibilities for cleaning, promotion, greeting customers, etc. We'd love to meet you and learn more about your work! Our hours are currently 12-7 Friday, 11-7 Saturday, and 11-5 Sunday - stop in any time and introduce yourself!
Address: MOHOP 1659 W Chicago Ave, Chicago
Contact: shoes@mohop.com
Video of space: https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChfCpAPlbSE/
