CRAFTED launch coming June 29

A unique opportunity for handmade artists of all kinds is coming to Los Angeles this summer: CRAFTED at the Port of Los Angeles aims to create a permanent marketplace to showcase crafters and offer shoppers a place to peruse these handmade wares.

Fellow CCCOE member Melissa Kojima first wrote about CRAFTED here on the blog in February: "Discussion: A Permanent Craft Marketplace."

This project anticipates 500,000 annual visitors and offers space for up to 500 individual, independent vendors; many artisans have already signed on to lease their space, including Anon-y-mouse Prints (also on Etsy), The Poster List, and many more.

The city of Los Angeles has really invested in this project, agreeing to a 35-year lease and a launch date of June 29 to catapult the marketplace as a summer hot spot.

Some of the perks noted by the CRAFTED FAQs section on their website: 

1. First, no more chasing fairs all over the state, country, globe, galaxy, universe, and beyond.  Toss your crazy calendar out the window.  Bask in the glow of knowing where you are selling every weekend - and most importantly - love the fact that your customers will always know where to find YOU.


2. Second, let's save your body some grief.  Your market stall will be yours, and yours alone for the duration.  No need to break down and set up like you do at each new temporary event.  Hang up your shingle, kick back, and SELL like you have never sold before.


3. And last, but not least, there is a little thing called COMMUNITY.  Hanging out, doing what you do - what you love - with a group of more than 500 artists who get you is pretty unbelievable. 

CRAFTED also offers options for sharing space, including a Facebook group for meeting other interested artisans to buddy up.

And now, the information we've all been waiting for: PRICE.  It's $500 per month for a 10'x10' space, and you get to leave your goods there when the marketplace is closed (no more hauling equipment and product all over the place, as noted above).  CRAFTED breaks that down to $33 per day (they're open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays all year round).  They do ask for a minimum six-month lease and even though you don't have to pay all of that up-front (they collect rent monthly, just like your apartment landlord), that's still a $3,000 minimum commitment.

Preview of the main entry to CRAFTED at the Port of Los Angeles

So.  What do you guys think?

Are those of you in Southern California aware of the opportunities with CRAFTED and, if so, are you considering signing up?  I think most of us indie business owners feel our eyes pop out of our heads at the price tag (also a hunch gleaned from comments following Melissa's post about CRAFTED in February), but considering everything provided, it seems a reasonable fee.

Looking forward to hearing what other Etsy artisans have to say, and I can't wait to check out the marketplace in its first weekend of business at the end of June.

Post contributed by Emily of Anna Delores Photography, who has no stake in CRAFTED except that she is a native Angeleno and indie business owner who is looking forward to this unique shopping experience.