Art Reach expanding to neighboring property; Cobbler Shop leaving, consolidating to Alma location
Downtown Mount Pleasant’s art scene is reaching out.
Art Reach on Broadway, 111 E. Broadway St., will expand into an adjacent property, 115 E. Broadway St. in July. The Cobbler Shop will consolidate to its Alma location, 115 E. Superior St., according to a sign on the building.
Owners of the shoe establishment declined to comment this week.
“The opportunity just kind of fell into our lap,” said Kim Bigard, gift shop and gallery coordinator. “When (the Cobbler Shop) made the decision to close down they came and offered it to us, and we jumped at it because it really is perfect for our needs.”
The space will give Art Reach room for more 3-D presentations and art installations, Bigard said. Currently, such art is limited to a wall of the store. Officials already have all exhibits planned for the rest of the year, but 3-D exhibits should go up in 2011.
Art Reach is moving its administrative and classroom portions into the expanded Broadway Street space. Art Reach Center of Mid Michigan, 319 S. University St., will close.
“The idea was that we wanted to be under one roof,” said Art Reach Executive Director Kathy Hill. “We chose to keep it downtown so that we can have the same presence at the store.”
Rick Stevens, a Art Reach volunteer, said the move should decrease the confusion between the two stores and increase cohesion.
“We’re going to be all together. We always felt like this has been a long-distance romance between us and the headquarters,” he said. “Now, we’re all going to be in one building like one big happy family.”
