open: sticks + bricks

*in honor of small business saturday (nov. 24), i'm featuring four shops in my town of northampton, massachusetts, in a series of posts called "open." the owners filled out a short q+a and i visited each store to take a few photos. i'm hoping that not only will this drum up holiday business for the small businesses in the town i love so much, but that other bloggers will be inspired to do the same in their towns! feel free to link back to this post, and post a link to your "open" features in the comments! these posts are not sponsored. read "open" posts 1, 2 + 4.

welcome to sticks + bricks!

sticks + bricks has been a northampton staple for a long time (thank goodness). it's a laidback store that's just brimming with creativity. from repurposed furniture to vintage odds + ends (like the old gramophone record keys below), there's always something surprising, original + totally local.

q + a with sticks + bricks owner liz karney:

when did your business open? november 2008

what does your business sell? i repurpose/reimagine old materials and make all sorts of new things, from jewelery to lamps to dining tables. i make functional one-of-a-kind art from reclaimed stuff (my workshop is in the back of the store) as does justin brown (another artist who is a fabulously talented at reimagining). i also sell other artists' work on consignment and feature different artists for northampton's arts night out. the store focuses mostly on homewares that are one-of-a-kind and use some kind of recycled element, but that doesn't mean you won't find the occasional pair of mittens made from old sweaters ;). i also do a lot of custom work. 

what does being a "small business owner" mean to you? mostly, it means i get to do what i love every day. i love owning this little shop, deciding what to value in this little space at 9 market st., being able to do my small part to affect the face + culture of northampton. i love providing a venue that connects consumers to other local artists. i can inspire people to think differently about old junk! it certainly has its challenges, + i often feel way behind on my to-do list, but mostly I feel so privileged. i'm a lucky girl.

what is it like to own a small business in northampton? i love it! this is a great community of progressive, artistic people who appreciate what i do -- not just the final product, but the whole process. it also attracts so many different kinds of people from all around -- i just wish more of them made their way over to market st. ;). 

sticks + bricks is located at 9 market st. in northampton. sticks + bricks is open tues. - fri. 12 pm - 6 pm, sat. 11 am - 6 pm, + sun. 12 pm - 5 pm. call 413-586-1560.