Fabricate finds a new home in Northside

Fabricate, a local boutique and gallery owned by Aileen McGrath and Chris Salley, relocated to 4037 Hamilton Avenue in Northside, and will be holding their one-year anniversary and grand reopening on November 13th from, 7-11 p.m.

Fabricate opened exactly a year ago, sharing a space with friends at Red Polly but they always had dreamed of finding their own space along Hamilton Avenue to obtain future goals and have a greater retail presence.

"We constantly looked along Hamilton Avenue and finally we found the right fit in a perfect spot located near stores and restaurants with a lot of traffic," Aileen McGrath said. "Our first space was a little more hidden and off the beaten path, now we have our own store front window and street presence."

The almost move-in-ready store consists of teal blue walls, hardwood floors and handmade furniture created by storeowner Aileen McGrath. Conveniently located near other shops including Cluxton Alley Coffee Roasters, Take the Cake, and Shop Therapy, Fabricate's new location allows customers to roam freely from shop to shop and increases retail traffic for the store. McGrath hopes to see future sales rise with the new location and will use the larger space to feature more local artists. Fabricate features locally crafted items, ranging from artwork, handmade clothes, t-shirts, soaps, jewelry, stationary, accessories, purses, hats, furniture, and lighting. Any item bought at Fabricate is one of a kind and unique.

McGrath finds artists through word of mouth, social media networks such as Facebook, and the Crafty Supermarket. 

"If the work of local artists meets our aesthetic, we showcase their artwork in our store," McGrath explained. Fabricate is geared towards a modern "indie" style, where the items are free to be "out of the norm" or "quirky," which is extremely encouraged by the owners.

Every second Saturday, Fabricate holds a group art show where they feature new artists' artwork with beverages and a DJ. This month's group art show will be unique, celebrating the grand reopening and the one-year anniversary with an after-party following the show at Mayday. The show, titled Microcosm, will feature 4 x 6 works of art by favorite past artists, as well as new artists that they will be showcasing in the coming year. Customers are free to browse, enjoy the event, and also buy anything on display.

McGrath wants to continue to promote and sell items locally crafted and recycled to better serve the community. In the future, she hopes to start a gallery hop in Northside, featuring artwork in all the surrounding shops, restaurants, and bars.

"We love the community here and we are excited to have our own shop. Last year was awesome, and this year will be even better," McGrath noted.

Writer: Lisan Ensminger
Photography by Scott Beseler.