Sat 11/25 & Sun 11/26 @ 10:30AM-5PM
Black Friday be damned.
That’s the message being sent to shoppers about the 5th annual Holidays at the Hildebrandt open house and studio sale, which takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Hildebrandt Provision Building.
“We started the open house because unlike some of the other studios, in our facility artists and the food entrepreneurs really don’t have retail hours,” building owner Bill Hildebrandt said.
“So we set aside the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving where the building is open, we have tours and everybody can just walk around and visit the individual shops where a lot of the artists work and make their items.”
Holidays at the Hildebrandt features artists and food entrepreneurs of the Hildebrandt building. Tenants include Aliberti Art Tile, Ampersand Vintage, Bette Drake-Ceramics, Billy Ritter-Ceramics, Darbynwoods, Finko Creative, Hectic Studio, the Hildebrandt Artist Collective, Sacred Rebel Yoga, Wildfoote Studio, Annie’s Signature Sweets, Rising Star Coffee, Storehouse Tea, Wake Robin Foods and Wolf Boy Provisions.
Something new over the past few years is the introduction of food, which means during Holidays at the Hildebrandt there are samples and complimentary drinks from Rising Star Coffee, Storehouse Tea and Metro Croissants.
As far as the guided tours of the historic building, Hildebrandt, who will be leading people throughout the venue, said visitors will learn more about the history of the 100-year-old, 115,000-square-foot building, which for decades was a meat processing plant.
“Because the building was built in 1908, many people like to see its history,” Hildebrandt said. “We flashback to the old industrial age. Old buildings are cool and somewhat of a fantasy of what it was like to live years ago. People have a big interest to see how things used to be
“Also, a lot of old buildings were torn town. They’re just gone. We’re fortunate that this particular structure is all masonry and concrete and block and brick. Somebody can go into an existing structure that’s still in the family. I’m the fourth generation.”
For those shoppers seeking a different kind of holiday shopping experience, Hildebrandt said the upcoming event is unique.
“In Northeast Ohio there’s tremendous support for growth in the marketplace to buy local,” Hildebrandt said. “That’s compounded only with everybody having the willingness to spend a little bit more for let’s say a quality or a handmade item.
“I think the way people hand out their Christmas gifts now, there’s a closer tie between the purchaser and the receiver on the gift. There’s more pride in these personalized items. It’s specialized shopping for people you care about.”
Cleveland, OH 44113