Two events in New Bedford offer shoppers the rare experience of feeling invigorated while undertaking the grueling task of seeking perfect gifts for a long list of recipients.
One event is well established – the tried and true “Annual Hatch Street Studios Holiday Sale” at 88 Hatch Street.
And new to the holiday shopping scene is “Men’s Shopping Night Out” in downtown New Bedford, created by artist Nicole St. Pierre.
Both events offer shoppers the opportunity to support the South Coast creative economy while finding fabulous handmade and homegrown gifts.
"Men’s Shopping Night Out”
On December 20 galleries and shops in historic downtown New Bedford will stay open late until 9 pm.
Free holiday treats and drinks will help visitors relax and enjoy the experience. Knowledgeable gallery attendants and shop owners are on hand to help men find perfect, locally made gifts, complete with free wrapping service. And, with holiday lights and decorations framing warmly lit windows, the atmosphere will be inspiring and relaxing – a welcome antidote to the hectic shopping scene at the malls.
St. Pierre was looking for a way to bring new buyers into downtown New Bedford to shop at the many wonderful small galleries and shops. As she managed the artist’s cooperative Gallery 65 on William in New Bedford, she noticed that men tend to linger shyly near the door or allow their more vocal female partners to direct purchasing decisions.
St. Pierre says, "We were looking for a way to help men feel comfortable shopping. We want them to have their own night to shop where everything is relaxing and they can feel comfortable asking questions. Hopefully they’ll find really nice personal gifts that are a little different, and mean something special, as opposed to just grabbing something off a rack at the last minute at the mall."
The Annual Hatch Street Studios Holiday Sale
In 2000, several artists set up studios in the drafty old mill near the hurricane barrier on Cove Street and opened their doors to other artist friends to show and sell their work for a weekend during the holiday season. The event grew in popularity each year. When the Cove Street location was sold and closed the holiday sale moved with the artists to 88 Hatch Street, in the north end of the city.
Ten years later, the Annual Hatch Street Holiday Sale is an eagerly anticipated shopping event for many local buyers of fine art and crafts. In recent years, the sale has been attracting buyers from longer distances such as New York, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.
The Hatch Street Studios are far more comfortable and accessible than the drafty spaces on Cove Street, with an elevator attendant on hand to escort visitors on the freight elevator to the studios on the third and fourth floors of the expansive brick mill building.
Dozens of studio spaces
The atmosphere of the Holiday Sale is always warm and welcoming, with music wafting through the halls and a great variety of free homemade treats.
read the entire article in the Nov/Dec issue of Prime Times
