Press Release
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Contact: Liz Swaine, DSDC Exec. Director
(318) 222-7403
 
14 Businesses Chosen for Fall Pop UP Project Downtown
 
Businesses ranging from high-tech odor-fighting clothing and linens, art pottery from Eastern Europe, gourmet goat cheeses and ice cream made from delicious local ingredients, women’s apparel, jewelry, custom art and LED frames will make up the 2015 Pop UP at artspace, 710 Texas. This Pop UP is sponsored by Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation (DSDC) and the Shreveport Regional Arts Council (SRAC). The goal is to provide short-term downtown retail space for both aspiring and currently active businesses.
 
“We had a great group of businesses interested in this Pop UP,” says DDA/DSDC Executive Director Liz Swaine. “We would love to host them all, but simply ran out of space.  That’s a very good problem to have.”
 
The Pop UP will kick off, appropriately enough, on November 28- Small Business Saturday, a day that consumers are encouraged to shop small and local. Small and local is the benchmark of Pop UP.  Each Pop UP business is headquartered in the region and is run by a hands-on entrepreneur at different stages of business success and expansion. This event gives the business a chance to test products and marketing and to determine what sells and why in a low-risk setting. No rent is charged for Pop UP and each business will be assisted in marketing their products and specials.
 
SRAC Executive Director Pam Atchison says the location of the Pop UP- artspace @ 710 Texas Street- lends itself nicely to a month of popping up. “We’re excited to be a part of this entrepreneurial event,” says Atchison. Our first floor and mezzanine will be filled with Pop UP products and activity and SRAC will be assisting in featuring special events, music, and meals; all of which will increase and encourage shopping opportunities, as well.
 
Opening day- Small Business Saturday– will feature a $7 Flapjack Feast at artspace with pancakes, juices, coffee, bacon or sausage and loads of fun pancake toppings. Once fortified, shoppers will be able to go the distance and shop ‘til they drop at artspace and other locations throughout downtown.  Each Thursday will feature Pop UP food trucks at lunch and afternoon special events including Happy Hour Shopping and live music.
 
Pop UP runs from Saturday, November 28 until Saturday, Dec. 19. Participating businesses are:
 
Haute Goat Creamery-A favorite of past Pop UPs and the Shreveport Farmers’ Market is back! Haute Goat Creamery provides gourmet, artisan cheeses and cheese items. Cheeses include fresh Chevre and Chevre spreads, ripened and aged cheeses in a number of varieties from a raw milk fully flavored blue cheese to Feta. Samples are available prior to purchase.
SRP Silverclean– Stop the stink with SRP Silverclean! The company sells odor-free products that utilize an anti-microbial agent for odor protection. Textiles are infused with odor-preventing nano silver ions which bond to the products on a molecular level and will never fall or wash out. Imagine socks that never get funky, towels that never get moldy-smelling, blankets that never get musty and t-shirts that never smell like sweat. Count us in! SRP Silverclean will have textiles and SilverZone Odor Eliminating Sprays for sale.
Sophie’s Daughter– Experience the artistry of simply gorgeous Polish pottery at Sophie’s Daughter. This ‘functional art’ is manufactured by hand in Europe, is environmentally-friendly and is dishwasher/oven/outdoor grill/microwave safe.  The pottery is brightly-colored and includes bakeware, tableware and everything in-between. Also featured are highly-collectible UNIKAT signed pottery pieces. (Unikat means ‘Unique’ in Polish.) Enjoy a steaming cup of Polish Hot Chocolate, fresh-baked Gingerbread cookies, and packaged food products.
Meredith Piper Art-Original, affordable paintings featuring the landscapes of the Southwest in oil on wooden panels, framed handwoven textile pieces, mini Southern landscapes and live painting of anything you would like captured for posterity. Meredith Piper Art is always willing to take a piece and change it slightly to your taste or need and does custom commission work. Her paintings and prints range in size and price.
Inspired Image Boutique– Inspired Image Boutique will feature the KOKOON Fall Clothing Collection, tailored to professional women with a demanding social calendar. With a fresh, witty, feminine style, KOKOON exhibits a lot of sophistication and is made in the USA. The price point ranges from $60 and up. Inspired Image Boutique also provides Total Image and Shopping Services.
Home Grown Specialties– Home Grown Specialties is a collaborative effort among three current business owners who look at lifestyle and ways to improve ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually. Included are Sassi Catering, J’adore Candles and Naturally Jazzy Creations. Freshly-prepared healthy meals sourced from local farms top Sassi Catering’s list, with 100% soy wax candles, wax melts/tarts, home fragrance mists and bath products from J’adore Candles, and soaps, lotions, oils, and gift baskets from Natural Jazzy Creations.
Global Images, LLC– Imagine your favorite photo in a fully LED-lit frame! Global Images has created a way to seamlessly incorporate the lighting into the frame and LED technology allows for different colors, bright or soft or patterns of light play. Frames are 8×10 and 11×14 in black or reclaimed barn wood. Your favorite photo can be inserted on the spot or you can purchase one that comes with an art photo already incorporated. Great for nurseries, wedding gifts, sports fans and more.
Wired & Sassy, LLC– Wired & Sassy features artisan jewelry constructed using metal clay, precious metals, semi-precious gemstones, pearls and Swarovski crystals. Wired & Sassy sources fine quality items including 99.9% sterling silver, pure copper and bronze metals. Designs are handmade, unique and personalized and include earrings,necklaces, bracelets, ankle bracelets and more.  Custom tailored items are available to order.
The Twisted Brownie– Just like it’s name, The Twisted Brownie is all about the chocolate-y gooey goodness of brownies. The Twisted Brownie offers more than 40 delicious flavors; the most recent of which is Browned Butter, Buttermilk, Coffee Cake and S’mores. Eight different flavors will be on sale each day, and samples will be available. Special orders can be taken.
Megan Davis Taylor Art– Original works of art on canvas, cushions, prints and T-shirts. Handmade Christmas gifts and pet portrait commissions. Megan’s original acrylic paintings are vibrantly-colored and often whimsical, featuring cackling hens, happy alligators, armadillos carrying daisies and scenes uniquely Louisiana.
Suite 9 ONE 6– Suite 9 ONE 6 will feature women’s clothing in all sizes and for all occasions. You will never see yourself walking down the street because Suite 9 ONE 6 carries no more than 6 of one item in stock. Suite 9 ONE 6 has a philosophy of looking good and feeling good and great looking clothes can give you confidence to conquer the world! Fashionably sophisticated styles that will provide your special look.
Resonate with Cassie– Resonate with Cassie uses found and re-purposed organic and inorganic items in unique, one of a kind jewelry pieces with a Bohemian vibe. In addition, there will be statuary and 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional items for sale.
Fleur De Creme Gourmet Ice Cream– Fleur De Creme has become a crowd favorite since launching several years ago. The tasty cold treat was recently named the Best Ice Cream in the region by SB Magazine in a survey of readers. Creative flavors such as Salted Caramel, Bananas Foster, and Creole Cheesecake are supplemented with a changing array of seasonal tastes. Cones, cups, sundaes and pints to takeaway and eat later.
Bird On a Wire-Reasonably priced unique jewelry creations that include a large variety of initial, skull, and wire rings and up-cycled copper bracelets and other items. Quick custom orders, ring parties and more. Jewelry repaired on site.
 
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