Passion and creativity are infused in each of the items they sell but sometimes love just ain’t enough, the owners of a Lower Lonsdale artisan collective have learned.
Under the Umbrella is closing at the end of August when their lease is up. The shop with a mandate to carry exclusively local, handmade gifts and fashions just can’t make it anymore.
“It was a hard decision,” says Under the Umbrella co-owner Albert Lo, adding they debated keeping the shop open for one more year.
Despite Lower Lonsdale’s recent revitalization, walk-in traffic at the artisan collective hasn’t increased by much and it’s one of the main reasons they are closing after three years.
Under the Umbrella is where people can pop in and find unique and locally made products – baby products, eco-friendly clothes, scented soaps, foodie stuff and jewelry, among other items.
"An Artisan Collective" was added to the end of the shop's name after many confused Vancouverites came in looking for umbrellas.
Lo is the designer behind Lomolicious clothing and sells his handmade ponchos at the shop. He estimates 90 per cent of customers are from the area, except for the summertime when sales are split between tourists and locals.
The decision to close comes down to economics, says shop co-owner Helen Waterson.“Even though year on year we’ve seen an increase in sales, it’s just not enough to sustain the business when you compare costs to what we’re actually selling,” explains Waterson.
The mark-up is quite low, she says, for products that are handmade as opposed to being mass produced.
Under the Umbrella operates under a number of business models that are mutually beneficial for the owners and the artists. One such model is if you’re an artisan and you work in the shop the business takes a significantly smaller cut of your profits.
While the shop’s owners promote artists (there are about 70 in total) from across the Lower Mainland, almost 50 per cent of them are from the North Shore.
Fellow shop co-owner and artist Catherine Nielsen sells beaded necklaces, having picked up the craft after her kids went away to school. She says it can be difficult for artisans to gain exposure in a saturated market that includes craft fairs and farmers markets.
“Not many people will take you on, that’s the biggest challenge,” says Nielsen. “To actually be in a store is a big deal.”
The other Under the Umbrella partner is Jean Stenhouse of Little MoSo eco-friendly children’s clothing. They all say they will miss interacting with like-minded creative types and are sad to see the shop close.
Under the Umbrella also has a Mini Makers section open to crafters aged 17 and younger. The idea is to give youth a place to sell their creations and introduce them to the world of entrepreneurship by charging just $10 a month in rent and 10 per cent commission on any item sold.
Anna Markus, 19, is a young artist whose screen-printed clothing featuring elements of North Shore nature has found shelter at Under the Umbrella.
As she counts down the days until Aug. 31, Waterson is disappointed.
“It would have been great if we could have made it work, financially speaking,” she says. “It is really sad. We tried.”
