Pop Up Market Adds Flair to Rochester

When you walk into Forager Brewery you're met with eclectic decor and a quaint little coffee shop with a restaurant/brewery tucked to the side of the building. Behind the coffee shop is Kutzky Market that has been renovated and will house future events to support the arts in Rochester, Minnesota.

On Sunday, March 5, was the first of many Pop Up Markets that will host an array of local artist talent with their flair organized by the amazing Cassandra Buck. Cassandra is the arts program manager at Forager and also runs Gallery 24 (an artist cooperative that helps get local artist works displayed in the community).

I swung by and discovered some really cool finds. Melisa Ferris, owner and artist of Mel's Little Creatures was sitting in her chair crocheting. She said she specializes in uniquely designed jewelry and adds whimsy to it through hidden phrases within the design.

Further inspection of her booth brought me upon a necklace with such character. Beautiful intricate designs were stamped onto the metal of the pendent. When the two door flaps were opened it showed a hidden message "Kind words save souls" adding an element of surprise and positive vibes to the future owner of this treasure.

The vendor opportunities gives local artists a platform to showcase their art and gauge interest. Melisa confirmed this stating "It allows me to introduce my product to the Rochester market and get a feel of what people are looking for."

Cassandra shared that there will be more opportunities for artists to showcase their work. The Pop Up Market will occur on the first and last Sunday of the month. There will also be an open studio once a month where artists can explore and make art with non-toxic materials. If you are interested in becoming a vendor during one of these Pop Up Markets you can email Cassandra at crbuckrose@hotmail.com and she can set you up with a vending date. All items sold must be local and handmade.

Here's one of the items I bought. This is a headband from Knot Your Mothers Yarn (love this name!)

Next Pop Up Market will be Sunday, March 25th from 10am-4pm at Forager Brewery.