Two vendors in the Arts ReSTORE LA: Westwood program have extended their agreement with the Hammer Museum to stay in the Village until the end of next month, while the other vendors left on Sunday.
Arts ReSTORE LA: Westwood was an initiative proposed by the Hammer Museum to fill empty retail spaces in Westwood with artisan vendors and small, local businesses. The project, which lasted for roughly the first three weeks of November, was meant to rejuvenate Westwood Village using the creative talent of the Greater Los Angeles area.
The two pop-up shops – Fallen Fruit: Fruitique! and Iron Curtain Press – will stay in their same locations until the end of December with the agreement of the Hammer Museum, the owners of the shops said.
Fallen Fruit: Fruitique!, hosts and sells artwork from various artists. To accommodate the growing demand for their artwork next month, the shop owners plan to reach out to their current artists for more pieces to sell, said David Burns, one of the Fallen Fruit: Fruitique! owners.
Iron Curtain Press is a letter-press store operating with a 125 year-old printing press. Joel Kvernmo, one of the owners of Iron Curtain Press, said he has taught classes to customers about how to make stationary. The interactive experience was part of why the Hammer Museum asked the shop owners to stay another month, Kvernmo said.
Beginning in December, a small business that produces travel bags and accessories, called Clark & Madison, will begin to sell their merchandise in Iron Curtain Press’ storefront, Kvernmo said.
“We can’t afford to pay rent in places like this so this is a chance for us,” said Frosti Zernow, one of the owners of Clark & Madison.
Sarah Stifler, communications director at the Hammer Museum, said event organizers at the museum chose to continue Arts ReSTORE LA: Westwood for the two stores because of the positive impact it had on business in the Village.
“(The project) was meant to provide a moment of inspiration and hopefully to show the property owners what is possible for this village,” Stifler said.