Fans of arts and crafts and all things DIY, will be happy to hear that there is a Do-It-Yourself store opening in Kenmore. Often times, the DIY community is relegated to hosting events, pop-ups and one-offs throughout the city. Now there is going to be a home base for all sorts of DIY materials that can sometimes be hard to track down. For people who like to make their own gifts and personal treasures out of recycled elements, DIY BFLO will be the prefect place to source materials. Along with offering goods for sale, there will also be the occasional “make and take” workshops, as well as works by local artists for sale. The store is directed towards DIY artists, crafters and students who have been looking for a place to call their own.
“Many of the creative people that I’ve met are very environmentally conscious and they enjoy working with unique materials,” says shop owner, Melissa Swiatek-Odiena who is a fine art student at Buffalo State College and a graduate student of art history at the University at Buffalo. “Because of this they often shopped at thrift stores for art materials but most thrift stores tend to focus on furniture and clothing. I saw the need for a store which focused on the unique needs and specialized items sought after by artists, crafters, students and other creative people.”
DIY BFLO is participating in the worldwide FLOOD the streets with ART (FTSWA) campaign that takes place on Black Friday. The message is to create art instead of making frivolous purchases for the sake of shopping during the holidays. You can learn more about the DIY BFLO event by visiting this Facebook event page. You can also visit the international FTSWA Facebook page by clicking here.
DIY BFLO will celebrate its grand opening on:
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Time: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: DIY BFLO, 2309 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14217
The event will feature refreshments and a 10% discount on supply or furniture sales totaling $5.00 or over. Shop owner Melissa Swiatek-Odien, will also lead a “make and take” workshop from 5pm-7pm. For only $10.00, participants can create a sophisticated piece of art to decorate their home. Reservations for the workshop can be made by calling the shop at (716)-322-7532, space is limited.