Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Wilson.
Kelly, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
We are the museum store for Mingei International Museum. While the museum undergoes a large renovation back in Balboa Park, we have moved the shop to the ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station! We are a craft, folk art and design museum and our store focuses on objects ethically made from around the world. We carry items from home goods to clothing and accessories. We love to support local artists as well and host frequent trunk shows and events to show off handmade pieces made here in San Diego and Southern California. All of our proceeds directly benefit the museum’s exhibition and education programs.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
With the Museum’s exciting renovation, it was very important for us to keep a presence via the store and continue to engage our audience with Mingei and our mission. We host many Education events here in our new space that helps further connect the museum with the community. While it was challenging to close our store in Balboa Park and move into our new space in Liberty Station within a short time frame, it is so exciting to be interacting with new customers and sourcing products for the fresh space!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Shop Mingei – what should we know?
Mingei International Museum is a craft, folk art and design museum with a mission to celebrate the unknown craftsman and beauty in everyday use. Shop Mingei strives to create an assortment that reflects this mission and highlights a multitude of culture’s craft traditions, such as, Guatemalan woven huipils, beautifully designed Japanese ceramics and much more. What sets us apart from other stores is our goal of sourcing ethically made goods and our direct connection with many of our artists and artisans. As a non-profit, all of our proceeds benefit the museum and help us fund outreach programs in our communities, bringing them the power of craft, folk art and design from around the world.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
We are a small non-profit, and everyone who works at Mingei stands behind our museum and supports each other’s efforts. We benefit from the Museum’s long-standing reputation that has been cultivated over the years, building loyal supporters who have followed us from UTC to Balboa Park and now to Liberty Station. In addition, many of our store employees are craft enthusiasts and artists themselves. Their dedication to the museum and store and their passion for craft is what really connects our customers with our mission. We would not be able to count our successes without our fantastic and knowledgeable team members!
Pricing:
- We want art, craft and good design to be accessible to everyone, so we have a very wide range of prices starting at $2.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2640 Historic Decatur Road San Diego, CA 92106
- Website: https://mingei.org/visit/shopmingei/
- Phone: 6197047512
- Email: store@mingei.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopmingei/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/MingeiMuseum
Image Credit:
Angie Ollman Photography
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