Shop Made in Maryland makes room for locally made crafts, snacks

By KAYLA NAZAIRE

A new store on the first floor of College Park City Hall is showcasing everything from novelty food to art, candles, skin and body care, apparel and home decor — all crafted by Maryland residents.

Shop Made in Maryland is a marketplace for goods and crafts created exclusively by Marylanders, with 60% of participating makers hailing from Prince George’s County.

“We wanted to see what would happen if we created a space with only goods being made in the community,” Stacey Price, the owner, said. “Could we grow and scale businesses? Could we build community? And could we change the consumer mindset about what is locally made? The answer is yes, yes and yes.”

The store is open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on weekends from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Price opened her first store, Shop Made in DC, in 2017. Since then, the Shop Made Brands chain has expanded to 10 locations in the District, Maryland and Virginia.

The College Park store is the brand’s only Maryland location. 

Grants from the city and Prince George’s County enticed Price to open in College Park’s new city hall in December. 

A small placard in front of each handmade product for sale includes the crafter’s name, photo, neighborhood and a short message from the maker.

A placard with a $22 body butter made by Prince George’s County resident Noel Nicole reads: “My maker status is directly tied to being a woman: quite naturally a creator in all things. I create the vibe in my home, a nurturing environment for my children, and solutions to problems at work.”

In fact, 87% of the Shop Made Brand’s crafters are women, non-binary individuals or people of color, Price said.

“One of our most important lenses is to curate any demographic that’s being underserved,” Price said. “It’s very important for us to reserve shelf space for those individuals.”

Prices in the store range from $2–the current price for a bag of Old Bay-spiced popcorn, to $350 for a pair of 14-karat gold-and-topaz earrings.

During Women’s History Month in March, Shop Made in DC will host its annual SHE:DC initiative to uplift women entrepreneurs through events and microgrants for women-owned businesses. 

The College Park store includes a café that serves locally roasted coffee and grab-and-go foods. Come afternoon, the cafe offers beer, cider and wine at the bar. The store serves drinks in glassware made by a Maryland small business owner.

Darren McNulty, the shop’s general manager, said the cafe attracts University of Maryland students each morning.

Kelsey Calabrese, a senior public health and public policy major, agreed the store had become a spot to grab a good coffee and do homework with her friends. 

Some of the crafters teach classes in skills like cake decorating, candle making and relief printmaking. Classes are open to people of all skill levels. Fees range from $20 to $150 and include all the materials required for the lesson.

Guests can bring their own creative projects to the store during Crafty Hours, which are  from 4 to 6 p.m. on weekdays, or during Crafternoons from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends. Crafty Hours double as happy hours, when the cafe offers discounted drinks.

“We really are a third place for creatives,” Price said. “I think that really resonates with people. … People are also hungry for something outside of traditional bars and restaurants to meet colleagues and friends.”

Price noted that classes tend to be full, so the store is looking for more local crafters to teach additional courses. 

Those interested in selling their goods at Shop Made in Maryland can apply on the chain’s website. 

“Just tell us about who you are, what you make and what you’re hoping to achieve with us,” McNulty said.

Beginning in April, the store will offer a Saturday marketplace on the city hall’s outdoor plaza for makers whose products aren’t on the shelves. 

Bill Coleman is an Old Town resident and owns Bill’s Backyard BBQ, a catering company. The  20-year resident recalled when the Shop Made in Maryland site was the parking lot of the old city hall building.

That parking lot hosted a farmer’s market, where Coleman sold homemade barbeque sauce. With the new storefront, Coleman sees a new opportunity where an old one once was.