From left to right: Heather Kern, DW Ferrell, Mei Louie, Antonio Appling and Johnny Vasquez. Photos by Brian Addison.
Long Beach is rife with great small business ideas. However, all too often, the crafty creators behind these ideas make a premature leap from cottage business or online-outfit to full-blown brick-and-mortar, and what could have been great businesses ultimately fails because there is little support or public awareness to keep the business alive (Shortnin’ Bread, anyone? Oaxaca Mio? Orn Hansen?).
That is why local guru and all-things-Long Beach man of the hour DW Ferrell has decided to take on the massive, 12,500 sq. ft. space at 236 Pine Ave. to act as a conduit of sorts for businesses looking to make that leap, but to do so without the stress and with limited risk. Overseeing the double-decker space—it has an upstairs space in addition to the floorspace that used to house marine retailer Safe Navigation before it moved to 6th St.—Ferrell will provide a shared space for up-and-coming artisans, vendors, and retail concepts.
Welcome MADE in Long Beach.
“We’re gonna be an incubator,” Ferrell said. “Basically a transition between, ‘Hey, I have a new idea,’ and, ‘I am going to open up a full retail concept.’ As we know, a lotta people who go head-first into that, they fail. So how can we foster businesses at the stage when it’s most critical?”
This isn’t a DIY or craft space or “all about handmade;” it’s about emerging retail in all its forms. From Heartbreak Coffee to Bike Local, the Academy to Sliced and Diced, this is about helping those who already made it past the hardest part—creating a product—and helping them into the next level by pairing them with similar local businesses, or what Ferrell calls “the cross-pollination of Long Beach ideas.”
“For example, there’s a new chocolatier in town—hasn’t even defined his brand yet,” Ferrell said. “His name is Romeo. He’s got a really strong pedigree in chocolate in terms of his training but he has yet to define himself. He was sourcing his preserves from some online source and then he came to our mixer and met Dina [Madril] from Long Beach Creamery. Immediately, he sourced her preserves and put it into his truffles—and they’re fantastic. Same thing with Heartbreak Coffee; he used their coffee for truffles as well.”
Of course, a 12,500 sq. ft. space can’t be transformed overnight. Ferrell has broken down the overall plan for the space into three phases: the Holiday Phase, the Landrush Phase, and the General Phase.
The two latter phases are the largest component of making the space more permanent. The Landrush Phase is set to begin in January of 2015, with plans for opening options for consignment, month-to-month rental spaces, and long-term leasing. Come Valentine’s Day, the hope is that the space will be decked out wall-to-wall, with two local chocolatiers already signed on, along with a vintage boudoir fashion line, and a florist. Not to mention homegrown Long Beach clothing label The Academy, who will be on hand with some seasonal garb.
The General Phase, set to launch in mid-summer 2015, will be the space’s full build-out, complete with a laser maker lab in the back for tenants to create prototypes, a jewelry kiln for the Sherry Ray-Vons of the world, and a full kitchen—of which part will be dedicated to gluten-free cooking—for experienced and aspiring chefs alike to hone their products and craft. This isn’t to mention how Ferrell et al. plan on opening the backend of the space onto the Promenade, providing gated, secured entrance to WE Labs members, and pushing out a false wall to uncover an entire brick wall for even more space and added beauty.
“We still have a long way to go but the response has been off the hook,” Ferrell said. “Since we’ve announced our concept, 55 emerging merchants and makers have already requested space. So we hit a nerve.”
But for right now, it’s all about the Holiday Phase, running in conjunction with Ferrell’s #HolidayLB campaign.
“After we see who actually has their business license, resale permit, cottage food license, and product ready—collectively, have their Ts crossed and Is dotted—we’ll probably end up with a solid amount of awesome examples of what makes Long Beach unique for our holiday pop-up shop.”
Ferrell and team thus far has scored nearly 20 local businesses on a consignment basis to create gift bags and boxes filled with Long Beach goodies for the space’s pop-up cheer space.
Some businesses being represented in the assortments of awesomeness you may already know—a mug from Pike Bar & Grill or a bag of coffee from Rose Park Roasters—and some you may not know—a handmade beard brush from Up Creek Paddle or a non-toxic mistletoe candle from Wildress.
Planned events include a December 6 local Holiday Fashion Show in a partnership with Groundwork Fitness, as well as the 6th Annual Secret Santa Toy Drive and Show on December 12 in a partnership with Long Beach Independent.
Today, the transformation of the space into the holiday pop-up shop begins, and we suggest you stop by and take a peek—and maybe even say “thank you” for introducing you to everything Long Beach makes.
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