Local vintage market Grove Galleria partnered Saturday with a variety of vendors to host a soft opening to introduce its new expanded space, Grove Guild.
The extension was created to give vendors the opportunity to have their own storefront within the shop without taking on the full responsibilities of an independent business owner. Once fully open, Grove Guild will host vendors on a rotating basis, with varying lengths of stay.
Grove Galleria features local art and vintage pieces, including secondhand antiques and unique trinkets. The shop avoids fast fashion and cheaply made products, instead emphasizing sustainability and encouraging more intentional shopping.
Zip Walker, a 33-year-old artist and creator of both Grove Galleria and Grove Guild, began hosting pop-up markets and art shows when she was younger. After participating in multiple markets, she opened her own store in 2020. Walker has since expanded her business to a bigger building to create a vendor mall.
Walker explained that she wanted to create a space where vendors could have a small storefront within the Grove Guild without the burden of paying rent for an entire space.
“[Sellers can] have their own little booth, and they don't have to do the setup and constantly do the pop-ups and stuff,” Walker said.
Walker mentioned the space attracts people looking for a creative outlet outside of a traditional job. For many vendors, the Grove Guild provides a real source of income, which isn’t always easily attainable for small, local artists. By allowing them to make a living by selling items they find or create in her store, she sees it as a meaningful alternative career path.
Sarah Agullo, a 22-year-old e-commerce assistant from Starke, is the creator of Rock-Paper-Pliers, a handmade jewelry business focused on gemstones and origami-inspired designs.
“I’ve been interested in their original location, and then I found on Instagram that they were opening up a second space,” Agullo said. “I just reached out, and I wanted to be a part of their soft opening.”
Agullo said she hopes to connect more with the Gainesville community.
“We live out in Starke, Florida, and there's not a big population there, in general, much less people our age. I'm happy to bring this jewelry, see people wear it and get an idea of the people in town,” Agullo said.
When the Grove Guild fully opens, vendors will rotate sporadically.
“It's all month-to-month. If they do well, they can stay longer, depending on how things flow,” Walker said. “But if I have other interests, I might switch people out.”
For now, the Grove Guild is open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
Lily Novak, a 27-year-old screen printer, visited the Grove Guild prior to the soft opening. She said the store offers a wide variety of vintage and antiques that are difficult to find in traditional thrift stores.
“I have a really particular taste,” Novak said. “I can find the kind of stuff I’m looking for here more than at other vintage markets. It’s nice to have a curated spot.”
Walker operates a community consignment model, where people sell their items through the store instead of managing their own retail space. She works with consignors in places like California, Texas and even Japan, where she sources vintage anime merchandise.
“It’s a space that has a little bit of everything,” Walker said. “If you're looking for something, I most likely will have it, or we're down to help find things for them.”
