The Shop
Located in Downtown Bellingham, Brazen Shop + Studio is a women-led shop whose space showcases works done by multiple local artists and small businesses across the U.S. The word “brazen” encapsulates this shop by definition: It means to be bold and without shame.
“Our first location was located in an alley. … We were opening a store with just two gals taking a leap of faith and trying something new,” says Allison Potts, one half of the founding duo behind Brazen.
The owners were in the old store location for five years before closing. “We moved to our new location
after the business (they were our neighbor) occupying it decided to close her store,” says Potts. “It was about ¼ the size of our current space.”
The Atmosphere
The new storefront has so much room that they even have a stage for live music. The walls are adorned with banners that say “Stay Weird” and other nifty pieces of artwork from local vendors. It is possible to spend an entire day in this store as they have jewelry, candles, ceramics, and many more items to gift or happily keep for yourself. The options are endless— don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Key People
Potts and Co-Owner Karen Blanquart began by selling their creations at local stores, pop-up events, and farmer’s
markets. However, they longed to have a space to display their own art and art made by their friends.
“Instead of doing pop-ups … we wanted a permanent space to have our stuff out all the time and not pack it up,” says Potts. “We came across our old location, and everything just fell together.”
Starting in 2018, they began with just five vendors, including themselves. Now, they have expanded to include over 100 different artists. Being a woman-owned shop has been a plus for the business, as they also sell a lot of pieces by women artists.
What You’ll Find
The owners love to stay true to their roots and often host pop-up events that feature different artists— so much so they installed a permanent pop-up with Genny’s Costume Closet, a local shop specializing in vintage clothing and costume rentals for all of Whatcom County. Genny’s Costume Closet is so diverse that Potts got her wedding dress there.
“It’s not just vintage clothing; a lot of it is dressier costumes,” says Potts. “Halloween was really fun getting ideas for costumes from her closet.”
Though Brazen is currently not accepting new vendors, you can still send an email introducing yourself and
your art. Make sure to include links to your social media pages and pictures of your work!
“It’s nice to have a place where our community and other artists are represented,” says Potts. “We love the community and all of our vendors.”
Favorites
While Potts and Blanquart have no specific favorites, they enjoy the store’s diverse lineup of accessories. “We really enjoy selling jewelry from the wide selection we have,” says Potts. “Most of it is from local makers.”
