By Paige Hoblak (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: June 6, 2012
Last Saturday Abbotsford got a taste of the vintage art scene which was beautifully showcased at the Scout Market held at 1920 North Parallel Road. The market was hosted by Lily Ellis and Rachel Janzen whose natural flair for creativity is the motivation behind the Birch and Bird blog and online shop. The women, who describe themselves as “moms, wives, and vintage junkies extraordinaire,” are trying to bring a fresh blend of art and decor to the community of Abbotsford.
The market had an impressive turn out for both Friday night, which was a pre-sold wine and cheese event, and Saturday, where tickets were sold at the door to the general public. The space was filled with eager patrons who were in awe at the beautiful vintage and handmade items that were up for sale. The items represented the work from some of the best local talents. The market provided something for a great variety of attendees: refurbished jewellery and furniture, handmade journals, even delicate treats to satisfy the sweet tooth.
Abbotsford’s Ellis and Janzen were the heart and soul behind the weekend’s festivities and I spoke with them to get what’s what on the Scout Market. The name “Scout Market” came from a play on words which literally combines scouting vintage goods with hosting a vintage market. The artistic duo has hosted similar markets in Abbotsford before; however, it is the first time they have gone with the “Scout” name.
Their main goal for hosting these events is to highlight their local vendors and give them an outlet to showcase their wares. Birch and Bird also has a booth at the market where they can interact with customers and vendors face to face – a nice change from web-based interactions done through their original online shop, which can be found on Etsy.com.
The duo explained the effect that an event such as the Scout Market has on the community. “Events like Scout give artisans and craftspeople a chance to showcase their wares in a friendly and comfortable environment. They get a chance to meet their customers in person and network with other vendors, an opportunity that they might otherwise miss out on if selling online or by consignment only.”
The internet and social media has had a huge impact on their success as an independent business. They said that they “depend on it” for the survival and progression of their business; they have seen success where many others have seen failure. When asked where they saw the future of arts-based businesses they responded: “We hope that we’ll continue to see a resurgence of all things handmade but it will take a conscious effort from consumers to be willing to pay a little bit more for something that was made by hand locally, not overseas.”
Birch and Bird can be supported and followed on their website.
