Pop-up store Downtown offers a slice of Lawrenceville
There’s a new shop on the block in Downtown Pittsburgh — or at least for the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Vignette is a pop-up store at 807 Liberty Ave., nestled between the Trust Arts Education Center and Harris Theater, that brings a slice of Lawrenceville shopping to the heart of the Golden Triangle. The project is supported by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and runs through Dec. 23.
Participating boutiques are Pavement (boho-chic women’s clothing), Vestis (contemporary menswear with a hint of whimsy) and Toll Gate Revival (vintage decor, along with reclaimed and repurposed furniture) — all shops along Butler Street. Joining the bunch is Moop, handmade canvas and waxed canvas bags by Wendy Downs, who opened the brand’s first brick-and-mortar home last year at 429 First Ave., Downtown, after selling bags online for nearly a decade.
Inside Vignette, a pop-up shop featuring selections from Pavement, Vestis and Toll Gate Revival in Lawrenceville and Moop, Downtown (Wendy Downs).
When representatives from the sponsoring organizations approached her about creating a special seasonal shopping experience Downtown, she didn’t want to saturate the city’s already busy holiday market scene with more of the
same.
“This was a good opportunity to pull together some of the best retail spaces in Pittsburgh and say, ‘Hey, we’re here,’ “Ms. Downs said.
Bringing together merchandise that complemented each other was intentional, but having so many of them be from Lawrenceville was not, she added — That’s just a testament to how many interesting shops are in that part of Pittsburgh. The space itself is small but charming, with an exposed brick wall and strings of Edison-style lightbulbs draped from the ceiling. There’s also space carved out for a makeshift dressing room.
“The main objective is to highlight that Pittsburgh really does have some amazing walk-in retail, and you should go buy from them,” Ms. Downs said. “It’s very much about supporting the local economy with your spending power.”
Shop the pop-up Tuesdays through Saturdays through Dec. 23. For hours and updates, follow Vignette on Instagram at @shopvignette.