AR Workshop Makes the Move on to High Street!
AR Workshop has been a beloved part of the Old Worthington community for four years, welcoming hundreds of guests to their side-street location to create stunning crafts for the home.
And now they’ve made the move to High Street in the former home of Igloo Letterpress! We caught up with owner Jen Blosser to talk about the move and what it means for AR Workshop Worthington.
Nick: What prompted the move to the High Street space? Had you been looking for a new space before the old Igloo space became available?
Jen: We are thrilled to call 661 High Street our new home. We’ve loved being part of the Worthington community and after four years, I knew it was time to grow and expand our business… raise the bAR you might say :-)
My lease was expiring at the end of this summer, so I put feelers out to see if any merchants in the historic district were entertaining the idea of changing their own professional path. I honestly didn’t think anything would come of it. We loved our charming little space at 695 and were content staying put as well. However, I’m a firm believer that it’s all about timing and everything happens for a reason. The stars aligned and Allison Chapman [owner of Igloo Letterpress] was ready for a change. Was I nervous? Yes! Did I know I would live in regret if I didn’t take the plunge? Absolutely!
Nick: What has the expanded space allowed you to do that you couldn't before?
Jen: Moving to this new location will give us greater visibility. It’s amazing how many people have stopped in to our new space and, even after four years around the corner, never knew about us.
It will also give us the opportunity to offer retail! I would categorize our vibe as modern farmhouse, but there’s really something here for every style. We’ll offer pre-made projects for grab-and-go, home decor, jewelry, gift-ables, and handmade/local goods I’ve sourced during my travels. Our creative team loves to help guests style their projects, home, and outfits so this will also be a fun new chapter for them!
Our historic district offers so much when it comes to experiences, food, retail, and events. My vision was to simply add to the awesomeness and give people another place to visit when here!
Nick: What are you personally most excited about, with this new space?
Jen: The workshop and DIY experience will always be the heart of who we are and what we do. Being able to share that with more people is what I’m most excited about.
I’m also excited to add “buyer” to my resume! I love interior design, fashion, and accessories so this has given me a new outlet to share my style and finds!
Nick: How have customers reacted to the new storefront so far?
Jen: Everyone is loving the space! I think it's a more modern and fresh take on our workshop style that can easily translate to your own home.
They’re also loving the fact they can experience us three ways. They can purchase a project pre-made in our boutique, we can custom-make anything just how they'd like it, or they can DIY themselves in a workshop (the most popular option!).
Nick: Amazing! Anything else we should know?
Jen: A huge shout-out to Worthington and the surrounding communities. Small business is tough and your support to my business and my neighboring merchants keeps us moving forward and doing what we love to do! THANK YOU!!