The Story of Midtown Makers
The story of Midtown Makers is a journey spanning 7 years so far. From the idea of having a place where local craft makers could sell their wares. As Ballymena Business Centre was the areas Go For It provider, it was recognized that they could provide such a facility. They decided then that the idea would also help in regenerating the Town Centre. To realise this idea and its potential, they acquired a vacant retail property on Church Street, Ballymena. They transformed the once empty building into the award-winning affordable Business & Enterprise Hub, consisting of Offices, 30 Small Businesses, as well as Retail, Workshop & Exhibition Spaces.
The story of Midtown Makers is a journey spanning 7 years so far. From the idea of having a place where local craft makers could sell their wares. As Ballymena Business Centre was the areas Go For It provider, it was recognized that they could provide such a facility. They decided then that the idea would also help in regenerating the Town Centre. To realise this idea and its potential, they acquired a vacant retail property on Church Street, Ballymena. They transformed the once empty building into the award-winning affordable Business & Enterprise Hub, consisting of Offices, 30 Small Businesses, as well as Retail, Workshop & Exhibition Spaces.
They called themselves The Church Street Craft Market. As the Ballymena Business Centre, helped them through the year with free business workshops, helping them build their business. The offices upstairs were now full of social enterprise, stand-alone businesses. The downstairs was slowly taking off. There were meet the maker events, Artisan manned the shop, showing off some of their techniques while there. The first picture in the local press was in April 2015, when they were highlighting the shop for the first time, also at Christmas they won their very first Christmas Window Competition, one of the many accolades that they had achieved through their first year in business. 2015 was the year that our local council and Ballymena Bid created Bertie the Ballymena Bear advertising for the town’s Christmas shopping. He made his first appearance on TV and online getting more views that any of the major brands, Christmas advertising campaigns and so history was made by Penny & Rose, the advert going viral in 28 countries in 24 hours
|
|
|
But, at the end of 2015, sadly funding had finished and some of the crafters moved on, either back home or to University, where they were finishing their degrees. It was a sad loss for the shop as we were now beginning to get repeat customers, who loved the products and the idea of what we stood for.
So, in early 2016, a meeting was called with the surviving crafters to decide, whether they wished to continue. Over a series of meeting, it was decided that they would like to continue and then they changed the name to Midtown Makers, because Ballymena had been called something similar in the past, because it was the town between Belfast & the North Coast.
So, in early 2016, a meeting was called with the surviving crafters to decide, whether they wished to continue. Over a series of meeting, it was decided that they would like to continue and then they changed the name to Midtown Makers, because Ballymena had been called something similar in the past, because it was the town between Belfast & the North Coast.
So, in 2016, Midtown Makers was launched and the space changed and became a new face in Crafting and Gift shops. We offered now 3 types of selling spaces. The Pergola, Wall Space & Shelf Space, Now each of these had a minimum rent, which was ensure some development in the future. The surviving craters and artists, had a choice of display areas and soon were joined by other new start up creatives. In June of 2016, I joined the team at Ballymena Business Centre as assistant manager. In August, we had our first Workshop, which was run by Shelley Steele from Felting Crazy. What's the Balloon for ?, You may ask, it's used to make a Felted Bowl.
Other Workshops, followed, Jewellery making, Clay & Polymer Clay workshops, Painting , Sewing, Photography, Crochet, Children's Art and Pottery, Soap Making and Wire Working were just a few to name.
And the story continues..........