On Fridays this holiday season, our Detroit 2020 team is finding awesome Michigan made gift ideas for you.
Today, we're taking you to as a space where local artists have permanent space to sell one of a kind gifts. The Rust Belt Market in Ferndale is a place for your holiday shopping.
It's a home for working artists, created in 2011 by a Michigan couple. A spot you won't soon forget.
“We definitely wanted to stay here and do something that was really impactful to the state and the community,” said Tiffany Best, co-owner of the Rust Belt Market.
Chris Best grew up in Lapeer and Tiffany in Oxford, Michigan. They leased a 15000-square foot vacant big box store at the corner of 9 mile and Woodward and got to work on their dream.
“There's something in the air about buying from local people that make things...there still is a big push for that,” Chris said.
All the artists are Michigan-based and the space showcases 42 vendors every weekend which generates foot traffic to the artist community in one location.
“To have more of a narrative to the things that we buy instead of some far-off place,” Best said.
Be prepared to spend some time here from furniture, to jewelry, specialty soaps and steel art signs for the man cave, there is something for everyone on your list.
There is also a huge presence of art celebrating Detroit’s legacy.
Jenny Barger teamed up with her dad, who owns a tree service, and started Live Edge Detroit.
“We take wood that would ultimately be burned or chipped up and we turn it into beautiful things,” Barger said.
Cutting boards, benches and dining room tables are all finished beauties created from wood from trees cut down locally.
Motor City Brick builds their product line from bricks and wood found in Detroit historical homes and factories.
"It's nice to be able to re-purpose something that has a unique heritage and shine it back up and reuse it," said Crawford J. Wolfe from Motor City Brick.
“Sometimes I joke if these bricks could tell stories, they'd probably have some whoppers."
The Rust Belt Market is adding even more options for your holiday shopping delight seventeen additional vendors in the ten days before Christmas.
They are open weekends right now, but will be open daily starting Dec. 15 through Christmas Eve.
