June 18, 2025

A downtown makers market that began earlier this year is hoping to gain traction this summer.

Serendipity Studio Gallery & Gifts hosts the Atrium Makers Market from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday in the Shriver Square atrium at 230 S. Phillips Ave.

The market aims to offer space to an array of local small businesses while generating foot traffic into the studio, which is on the building’s mezzanine. Consisting of both artists and makers, the market is open to vendors selling anything from crystals and jewelry to paintings and sculptures.

Owner Jason Pfitzer opened Serendipity Studio in October 2023 as a collaboration with several other local artists.

In total, it consists of three galleries. There is a main gallery that hosts more than 30 local and regional artists, Pfitzer’s own photography gallery and a rotational gallery that changes in accordance with a monthly theme. With no long-term contracts or commitments, the studio evolves as artists come and go.

“I felt like, as an artist, I had a lot of art, and I had a hard time finding a place to show it,” Pfitzer said.

According to Pfitzer, the downtown area is the central hub of the art community. He said he hopes the Atrium Makers Market will pull people off the street and into the square, where they will be able to experience local art.

While the plan originally was to focus on specifically artists, a decision eventually was made to broaden the market’s scope and open the space to makers, selling items like soap, candles, botanicals or rocks.

“We decided, you know what, why would we limit ourselves, the products or the vendors to just artists,” Pfitzer said. “And so we’ve opened it up to a variety of opportunities for people.”

In terms of attendance, the studio owner has seen mixed success. While he has had as many as six vendors show up, the space has the capacity to hold up to 30. The vendors who attend, however, do see success in selling their products, he said. Currently, Pfitzer estimates an average of 50 to 75 visitors each week.

“We’re also acutely aware of the fact that we don’t drive in hundreds if not thousands of people,” he said. “Instead of expecting a large volume on one day, the idea is that we’ll do small volumes every weekend and then people change. Each week, the vendors change but so do the customers.”

The decision to make the market a weekly event is made possible by the low-maintenance requirements from the studio, he said.

“Vendors are very familiar with setting up for a quick turnaround event,” Pfitzer said.

They are expected to bring their own materials, paying $10 for a space that’s 8 feet long by 30 inches wide, which is intended for about a 6-foot table and a chair, though more space could be available.

“The people really seem to enjoy it. You know, when they do come in, they’re excited — they’re excited about the product,” Pfitzer said. “So I think the community is enjoying what’s being made. I think they would enjoy it more if we had more vendors.”

To learn more about the market and for a vendor application, visit here.