This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Longmont’s Hidden Treasure is expanding again. The Hidden Treasure 2 at 2330 North Main Street is Longmont’s only consignment store for craft supplies and handmade goods. Owners Sandra Noonan and Betty Aldrich purchased the store in May 2017 from the original owners and are now on their second expansion to include a new Artisan Marketplace.
The Hidden Treasure 2 had such a successful 2018 holiday season with their pop-up holiday market that artists and shoppers began asking for more.
In 2018, 30 artisans exhibited over the month of the December holiday shopping season. The pop-up market was so successful that the owners decided to take the leap and expand the shop into the adjacent available space and create a permanent marketplace.
21 artists now host booth space in the attached Artisan Marketplace with room for five to seven more. The creations span a wide range of handmade products including jewelry, clothing, kitchen items, art, themed gifts, doll clothing, soaps and personal care products.
The new area of the shop allows area makers and artisans to rent their own space in the store, allowing them the ability to develop their brand independently.
“Arts and crafts are an essential part of building families. For years, families grew up passing down the art of crochet, knit, sewing and crafts like that,” Noonan describes. “We want to make sure that this generation keeps arts and crafts alive.”
The addition of the Artisan Marketplace is a supplemental way for shoppers to experience and directly support the creativity happening within the immediate local community. Referring to the feedback she receives, Noonan describes, “One comment we hear almost every day is ‘I didn't know we had this much talent around here.’"
Noonan and Aldrich are finding they are making an impact with the local creative community by providing multiple ways for people to engage with the store.
“Success for us is to bring the community a place to come to start or refire a passion for all things arts and crafts, for creativity to run wild [and] to be a place people can find supplies, ask for help with projects, use our studio to create and find quality handmade items." Noonan adds, "We like being the 'Cheers' of craft stores. The Hidden Treasure 2/Artisan Marketplace: 'Where everyone knows your name.'"
