The Rust Belt Market in Ferndale

Posted by Crystal Pepperdine, Founder and Executive Director of Flint Handmade

Recently, I took a trip down to Ferndale to visit The Rust Belt Market.

Rust Belt is a year-round brick-and-mortar market for handmade and vintage goods.  Vendors sell their wares directly to shoppers every Saturday and Sunday from 11am-7pm. 

Chris Best and his wife, Tiffany Best, own and operate The Rust Belt Market.  I had the pleasure of meeting Chris at the 2011 [IN]spire Conference where we spoke on a Creativity & Commerce panel together.

Chris, Tiffany and all of their vendors are doing amazing work in support of the handmade movement in Michigan at Rust Belt!

  

Awesome painted wood journal by Jessica of Ink Stain Design (InkStainDesign@live.com).

Upcycled license plate signs by License Plate Heaven.

DetroitGT has a pickup truck parked INSIDE The Rust Belt Market for their display of Michigan shirts.

Melanie of Earthenwood Studio had a very clever business concept.  She sells premade necklaces with her own handcrafted porcelain beads...

...or you can pick your own beads and charms...

 ...to make your own mix-and-match necklace!

The Rock City Pies looked pretty tasty!

The vendor booths just keep going and going in the 15,000 square foot space!

There is a stage with a grand piano in the middle of The Rust Belt Market for live music!

Flint Handmade is considering sponsoring a carpool field trip to Rust Belt sometime in 2012.  Email us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com if you are interested!