BUFFALO, N.Y. — Nestled in the back corner of Thin Ice Gift Shop on Elmwood Avenue sits another gift shop sourcing all their merchandise from right here in Western New York.
"Everything in here is made by a Buffalo artist," said Christa Penner, one of the founders of ShopCraft. "It's all local."
Penner is a founder, and she is also one of about 15 artists who share work at ShopCraft.
She said it is so important for artists to have a place to consistently showcase their products.
"Often, when you are an artist and you're doing only shows to promote your business, people are like, 'Well, where can I find your work all the time?' and now they have an answer for that here," Penner said. "We offer the opportunity for our member artists to have their full line of work here."
There is a variety of offerings at ShopCraft. They have home decor, clothes, and jewelry. They also have unique items like book clocks and seed bombs.
"The way these work is you just soak them in water, and then you throw them on top of the soil and they grow," Penner said of the seed bombs. "There are several edibles [like] salad mix, kale and basil."
There is wall art, scarves and ornaments, as well. Many of their items are made with eco-friendly practices, too.
Plus, you will find the artists themselves when you stop in at ShopCraft, making the experience even more personal.
"What we really like to say is if you want to give a gift from the heart, it's great to give a gift from a local artist," Penner said. "Each piece is handmade. Each piece has someone's heart and soul put into it."
ShopCraft is open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., but they will soon be open for expanded hours during the holidays.
If you are an artist who would like to sell your products at ShopCraft, you can email them at hello@Buffaloshopcraft.com.
Learn more about ShopCraft here.