Nonprofit arts center to open retail store in Silver Plaza
A Silver Spring arts center will open a retail shop next month in Silver Plaza, filing a vacant storefront on Ellsworth Drive and bringing a fine arts presence to downtown Silver Spring.
Pyramid Atlantic has entered into an agreement with The Peterson Cos., which manages the retail area of downtown Silver Spring, to occupy a 4,500-square-foot storefront at 924 Ellsworth Drive, the former site of the Bombay Co. furniture and gift store, which went out of business earlier this year, according to officials from Pyramid Atlantic and Peterson Management.
Under the agreement, Pyramid Atlantic will occupy the space on a month-to-month basis until a permanent tenant is found.
Jose Dominguez, director of Pyramid Atlantic, 8230 Georgia Ave., said the agreement would allow the art center to expand its presence northward to the retail shops in the redeveloped downtown area and generate revenue to support its programs.
”We’re grateful for the opportunity because it allows us to extend our brand to downtown Silver Spring,” he said.
Pyramid Atlantic: A Community Arts Store will open noon July 11 and will sell artists’ prints and artist books from the nonprofit Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, which specializes in contemporary papermaking, printmaking, digital arts and artist books.
Local artists also will sell paintings, ceramics and jewelry on consignment. Dominguez said he has about 12 artists committed to sell their work and will consider others.
Jennifer Nettles, Downtown Silver Spring manager for Peterson Management, said she approached Dominguez about a month ago and asked if he was interested in opening a shop in the vacant storefront.
She said Peterson, which has rented the space to other groups
