‘We sell things that people want, which is happiness and joy’
Nine creative women open Trove on Tremont, a collective pop-up shop in the South End
Trove on Tremont, a women-operated artisan collective that opened in the South End in early February, will host a grand opening on April 5 to celebrate the nine artists involved in the shop.
The pop-up, housed in a 750-square-foot storefront on the first floor of The Upton until May 5, was conceived by Rachel Walters, a local fashion designer. While searching for a second storefront for her own brand, Rachel Walters, she found the space in a brownstone at the corner of Tremont and Upton streets that houses short-term rental apartments. After meeting with the landlord, Walters recruited eight more local women artists and makers to share the lease and set up shop with her for a few months in the space.
The women who joined her, most of whom she’d met through other vendor markets in Boston, make everything from jewelry, to plates and platters, to baked goods, to leather bags, clothes, and more. Each business boasts items handmade in their home or community studios.
“Many people have told us that they’re pleasantly surprised by how integrated yet separate it feels, meaning you can appreciate each person’s work as an individual but you can also feel like it’s somehow cohesive,” Walters said.
Bija Satterlee of Bija’s Bags is the only member who hadn’t previously worked with the other women at seasonal vendor markets. She met Walters at her store in Belmont months earlier.
Walters knew Satterlee would be a good addition to Trove after the leather bags she displayed alongside Walters’s clothes started selling fast. It was a natural pairing, Walters said.
“We’ve created something out of the blue that could not be done by one individual,” Satterlee said. “We don’t really sell things that people need, we sell things that people want, which is happiness and joy.”
Another partner in the popup, Charity Southworth, makes science-centric jewelry, apparel, and accessories. As a scientist herself, Southworth had faced teasing for feminizing her looks in the lab; she was motivated to start her brand, The Science Boutique, “to make women more comfortable being in the sciences,” she said.
At Trove, each maker has her own section to display their products, Walters said, comparing the look to that of a museum gift shop. The makers take turns staffing the store, which is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Trove’s other partners are Sarah Michalik of Charged Glassworks; jewelry makers Rachel Berger of Clover B and Molly Phillips of Morrison
Mae; Elena Guisasola, who makes plates and trays under the brand name Biccara; Lauren Berry of Sweet Botanical Bakes; and perfumer Miriam Shechet of LabHouse.
“I felt very lucky that I already knew some of them and we’re friends,” said Berry. “When you have so many creative minds at once, you feel empowered.”
The women who make up Trove range in age and experience. At 28, Shechet is the youngest business owner in the collective, and says everything she’s learned about the perfume industry in the last six years has been without formal training.
“It’s very inspiring for me to see these women that have grown their businesses,” she said. “The community is really good, we always have each other’s backs.”
Trove’s grand opening on April 5 will run from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will offer 10 percent off purchases over $50 storewide.