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Friday, February 25, 2011

Darshan Boutique opens inside Town Square Market

The Southern Business Journal
BY ROB CROW, THE SOUTHERN thesouthern.com | Posted: Sunday, February 13, 2011
CARBONDALE - A front corner of one of Carbondale's most well-known markets is now home to the wearable works of several Carbondale artists.

On Saturday, Darshan Boutique had its grand opening. The boutique is inside Town Square Market, at 106 E. Jackson St. in Car-bondale, and features products that are almost all handmade by local artists.

A group of artists formed a collaborative in downtown Carbondale, and Darshan Boutique now holds the fruits of their labor.

"We've worked together for quite some time, and we all just kind of started making clothes," said Terry Hickey. "It just kind of happened, and we realized that we wanted a store for them."

Seven local artists form the core of the group, and they are now able to share their work inside the market. The boutique offers handmade clothing and accessories such as scarves, earrings, hand bags and hand warmers.

Several items, such as some of the handbags and hand warmers, are made from recycled clothing.

"There's not a good-quality, unique clothing store in Carbondale. You have to go to a big city to find something like designer stuff, or something different," said Andrea LeBeau. "So, if we can't find it, we have to make it."

While discussing the boutique, three of the involved artists started joking about some of the other items they could create and sell - only to realize that's how many of their handmade products actually started.

"You support each other, you inspire each other, and you expand each other's experiences," said Karine Gabrini.

Town Square Market, which focuses on locally grown and sold goods, was more than happy to have the boutique inside its walls, LeBeau said. And the artists are more than happy to be there.

"Right here, this is perfect for us, and this meets our needs," Gabrini said. "In the future, if this grew and we need our own space, sure, that's always a possibility. But right now, we're thrilled to be here, and have a place where we can make a little boutique."

rob.crow@thesouthern.com

618-351-5080

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