Larry Hahn’s Liberty Gifts is the only store with its doors open at East Fourth Street and Grand Avenue, but he doesn’t seem worried.

“The foot traffic has been pretty minor,” Hahn said, “but I think it will be different once everyone gets moved into the building.”

By East Village’s Holiday Promenade on Friday, three additional stores will be open in East Village Square’s live/work lofts, all of which will bring artwork from Greater Des Moines artists to the shopping district.

Although only four of the 21 live/work spaces on the building’s ground floor have been rented so far, Annie Brown of Perennial Property Management Services, which manages the building, said her company is working with another artist and someone interested in opening a health food store.

Here’s a preview of the shops scheduled to open by the weekend.

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

A recent college graduate and son of two artists, Garrett Cornelison recognized a need to provide the younger generation with unique artwork that’s affordable.

Since June, he has experimented with taking T-shirt designs and putting them on canvas with Mike Draper, owner of Smash. They use a combination of techniques, such as painting, graphic design, screen printing and photography, to produce simple contemporary designs. Each work is different, but because it doesn’t require as much time or cost as much to make, Cornelison can sell most pieces for around $25 to $50, which he and Draper say is comparable to buying a poster at Target.

His store, which opens Monday, has evolved into a “co-op of artists,” as well. The freelance photographer plans to sell some of his photographs, contemporary furniture made by local artist Adam Ferry and other creative products such as homemade handbags. He also wants to create a catalog with Draper featuring their work, which they would send to businesses nationwide.

Cornelison, who also works full time in the marketing department of Powervar Inc. and plans to keep his job, was already looking for a place to display his work when he learned about the live/work lofts. The setup allowed him to open a business, he said, because the overhead costs were lower, he only had to sign a one-year lease (rather than three to five years, as often required) and it is smaller than most retail spaces.

Baubles and Beads

Diane Bolden walked into Liberty Gifts two weeks ago and realized a live/work loft was the venue she had been looking for to sell her jewelry from. She and her stepdaughter moved into a suite this weekend and will open Baubles and Beads, a jewelry store, by Friday.

“I have been looking for years for a good way to market my jewelry,” said Bolden, an executive secretary at Iowa Employment Solutions. “When I saw what these lofts were like, I loved them. It’s a perfect situation for me. I can keep my day job and have a jewelry store open nights and weekends.”

After making jewelry for about 20 years, Bolden has accumulated a large inventory of earrings, bracelets and necklaces, priced between $10 and $200. She works with materials such as precious stones, glass beads and pearls.



MDG Custom Furniture

When Michael Glaser’s plans to move to Minneapolis fell through, the recent graduate of Iowa State University began looking for studio and gallery space in Des Moines for his contemporary-style furniture. The live/work loft arrangement allowed him to afford a studio space in Art 316 building and a gallery space where he also lives with a roommate.

Glaser opened his store last week with a variety of furniture, including an entertainment cabinet, tables, a desk and a chair. His work ranges in price from $500 to $3,000. Although he is selling furniture in his gallery, he is doing it more for the exposure, hoping that it will lead to more commissioned work.

He also is selling his paintings and drawings, primarily of city scenes. Next month he will sell Iowa wine from Prairie Moon Vineyard.

Liberty Gifts

Hahn was ready to move into the live/work lofts long before they were completed and opened his store about three weeks ago. Based on customer response, the offerings at his store have expanded to include gay pride apparel and home décor, artwork from local artists, fudge, blown-glass vases and sculptures, and Christmas ornaments.

“I love to have things people are not going to find anywhere else in town,” he said.

He also is lining up events to attract customers to his store, including wine tasting nights through the Traveling Vineyard, a local wine organization, and possibly music during the Holiday Promenade.

He is surprised that other stores have not opened yet, but is hopeful that the area will take off as more businesses open in the next couple of weeks. “I would absolutely love a lot more people to be coming in,” he said, “but I think that’s just in time.”