Kick Start Middlebury grant recipient celebrates grand opening on March 11th

Vermont Business Magazine Sparrow Art Supply will be celebrating its grand opening on Friday, March 11, 2022, from 4 to 7 pm. Located at 52 Main Street, Middlebury, Sparrow Art Supply is central Vermont’s resource for artists—from hobbyists to aspiring amateurs to professionals. Anyone interested in being creative will be able to find what they need, from kids to adults.

Sparrow Art Supply will carry a full range of products from acrylic paint and mediums to pottery tools to all kinds of sketchbooks to DIY kits. Specific brands include Golden Acrylics, Gamblin Oil Paint, Faber-Castell, Winsor and Newton, Princeton Brushes, Speedball printmaking supplies, Strathmore papers, among others. In addition to retail space, Sparrow Art Supply will also serve as a community center for creative workshops, gallery opportunities to exhibit artwork, and club meetings.

“As a lifelong artist, I am passionate about helping others find their creative voice, so we are ready to answer any questions and assist customers in finding the right materials for their projects,” said Beth Svenningsen, Sparrow Art Supply’s founder. “I hope that the store will become the area’s go-to shop for all art, craft, and creative needs, from oil paints to markers to block printing tools.”

Svenningsen moved to Middlebury from New York City in 2020 during the early days of the pandemic. As a professional watercolorist, she realized the nearest art supply stores were 50 miles in either direction of Middlebury. Recognizing an unmet need in the community and the opportunity presented by the Kick Start Middlebury program, Svenningsen applied for and was one of the grant recipients.

“The Kick Start Middlebury program was a really amazing experience. As a first-time entrepreneur, the program provided me with the resources to develop a solid business plan, make an effective pitch to the review committee, and in the end, win the financial support to launch a new business,” Svenningsen continued. “While the grant made it possible for me to open my store, all the organizations that contributed to the Kick Start Middlebury program have demonstrated that they’re as invested in the community as I am.”

The Kick Start Middlebury program, created through a partnership of municipal, economic development, educational and business entities, awarded several entrepreneurs monetary grants and packages of donated business services to bring new or expanding businesses to Middlebury after road construction and the pandemic left several open storefronts.

Sparrow Art Supply is located in the lower level of 52 Main Street, down the metal staircase adjacent to Middlebury Mountaineer, the Main Street bridge, and the Otter Creek Falls. The store will be open Wednesday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Middlebury, Vermont – March 7, 2022 – Sparrow Art Supply

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