Pyramid Atlantic — that enigmatic Ripley District art center — is going retail on Ellsworth Drive.
The art center, which specializes in printmaking and book arts, will take over a Downtown Silver Spring storefront previously occupied by The Bombay Company, Jose Dominguez, the art center’s executive director, told The Penguin.
The store is “a unique partnership” with the shopping center’s management, according to a press statement. Exactly what kind of arrangement was made is unclear.
Local artists will be selected to sell prints, book art and paper products at the store on consignment, the press statement read. That means Pyramid Atlantic gets a cut, with profits going to fund programs at the Ripley District facility.
The store will also peddle ceramics and jewelry, and will host wine-tasting events, Dominguez said.
A grand opening is scheduled for Friday, July 11, but the store will operate only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Pyramid Atlantic will maintain sales at its second-floor gallery on Ripley Street.
Updated Jun 20, 2008, at 10:25 a.m.
August 21, 2008
7 Comments at "Art center to open Ellsworth shop"
LOL “Ripley District”. A collection of quonset huts and parking lots does not a district make.
(I know you didn’t coin that name - the forced re-branding effort just cracks me up every time.)
How are they going to be able to pay those Ellsworth Drive rents being open only 3 days/week? So for the other 4 days, Ellsworth Drive will have a darkened storefront at one of the most prime real estate locations in DTSS? Doesn’t make sense to me.
I share pj’s skepticism about rents and operating hours, but I am also really exciting to see Pyramid Atlantic develop a stronger presence in downtown.
Unless their “unique partnership” stipulates they don’t have to pay rent, I see this as an Epic Fail. It’d be nice if it does ok, but this brings absolutely nothing to 99%+ of the shoppers on that street.
I’m glad that they are opening up a retail store but if they are only going to be operational 3 days/week, then maybe the store should have been placed somewhere else on Ellsworth. There are a bunch of empty spaces next to the Thai restaurant. It would have been great to see an Apple store open up at the old Bombay location.
At this point, I’ll take an Apple store anywhere in Silver Spring.
Editor’s note: This comment has been deleted. — JD (Jun 24, 2008)
Holler back.