Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Small Savannah Businesses You May Not Know About

 Savannah is growing, and in a very creative way. No longer does a new business hang their shingle out front, join the city chamber and advertise in the yellow pages. As we know times have changed! I love what I see happening with new businesses here in Savannah. Since the arrival of SCAD Savannah has really begun to flourish as an artist’s haven. The latest evolution of this creative city is extremely community oriented, and inclusive as it expands not only geographically, but also in size and product. Here are several new community businesses that nourish the creative community that are great for everyone!

Cohen’s Retreat - A creative collective, an artisan/design destination.
This midtown historic campus has evolved into a creative community thanks to the new owner’s vision. About the property: Cohen’s Retreat is a community of art, food, with a coffee/juice bar, commercial and residential cottages for rent scattered about the property. There is a main building plus sixteen cottages. The residential cottages are energy efficient with skylight and wood grain flooring. The commercial cottages have a main room, office and are equipped with a full kitchen and bathroom.  A couple of working craftspeople live in the cottages already, and several business have made Cohen’s retreat their home as well. The north wing of the main building will host lectures, classes, workshops, and more. The south wing, a gallery space, has already hosted two shows.  A banquet table dominates another room.  A new patio space, vegetable and herb gardens, and a fountain to be installed out front.  Many of the fully-renovated cottages are still available for rent. The cottages behind the main building are leasing quickly - with a potpourri of design oriented small businesses - photo stylists, prop stylists, artists, and designers
Art Tank will be a space available to rent for events. It will be a place to gather, to learn and connect with like-minded folks.
“We just wanted to provide a setting where the most accomplished artist can come in and go away with something, but so can someone who has never even picked up a paintbrush.”
New, and in the latest issue of Savannah Magazine. 10pm. Located at” 5715 Skidaway Road, Savannah

Fish Out of Water Designs – Artisan upholstery
An unusual, eclectic, bohemian style upholstery workshop. Custom upholstery, re-upholstery,
pillows and modern trends are discussed with clients over coffee and beneath painted taxidermy fish. A designer upholstery boutique where a client's furniture restoration and design needs can both be met. A place to create and have fun. There are even classes! Seminars, couples classes, individual projects - the hours are flexible the classes tailored to your needs.
“If you need something upholstered, Evelyn is your girl! She really engages the client in the process so that simply spending time with her in her workshop is a valuable experience. And the quality of her work is second to none!”

“Savannah Plush is designed to celebrate and share the uniqueness of the community in which we live. We celebrate the creative talents of carefully hand selected local artisans. Even our name was carefully considered and selected. "Savannah" for the exquisite physical location we call home and "Plush" to describe those special little touches that we all love to add when feathering our nests.” – Located at Cohen’s Retreat on the second Floor

Started as the brainchild of mother-daughter duo, Lynn Rahn and Brooke Rahn Thomas, Clutter
Furnishings and Interiors is Savannah’s hottest, new design and home décor destination. Clutter’s mission is to provide an array of one of a kind vintage, repurposed, consigned, and antique pieces to the huddled masses, and to create a space for clients that blends their style with great new finds. Located in Savannah’s Eisenhower Square Shopping Center, Clutter is one of several new mid-town, retail destinations designed to make all Savannah-ians lives just a little richer.

The Mill is an interactive, collective studio concept soon to be in downtown Savannah where designers of any kind can come work/sell their craft. By creating a space where designers can come to work on their own time, celebrate the process of their work and sell their product all at once brings attention to the great people behind America's handmade goods.


“Maven Makers is working to establish a collaborative work-space with the goal of creating a community of knowledge, design, and creativity. We are a community of people working together to foster growth to the individual first, then local companies, and for the overall city. Our space is for everyone with a desire to learn, inspire, teach, design, and create. Maven Makers’ vision is to establish a community-supported maker-space in Savannah, GA, which seeks to equip and empower the community starting at the individual level by delivering a common location with affordable resources for designing and building, whether for profit or mere enjoyment.” Maven Makers has had several events where ‘regular folk’ built bicycle racks for the Savannah Bicycle Campaign, and magazine racks for NPO’s in Savannah.

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