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ABOUT:
Shop One
Shop One was a retail craft outlet located in a remodeled carriage house at 77 Troup
Street, Rochester, New York. This shop was established by three professors from the School
for American Craftsmen, at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York.
Metalsmith John Prip, cabinet maker Tage Frid, and ceramist Frans Wildenhain recognized
the need for a retail outlet for their work; a shop they could control, but one that did
not demand much individual attention. This initial group was later joined by metalsmith
Ronald Pearson, a former student of the School for American Craftsmen.
As professors, their time was divided between teaching and producing work, limiting
opportunities to sell their work. Shop One provided the best solution to their
predicament. Wildenhain acted as a mentor in this endeavor; he had previous experience
building and maintaining a small business.
Shop One was the only retail outlet in the Rochester area that exclusively sold handwork.
Once the shop was underway, local craftsmen were invited to become associate members. Some
of these craftsmen were nationally recognized in their field, such as metalsmith Hans
Christiansen. Those represented in Shop One were among the best craftsmen in the Rochester
area.
Shop One integrated characteristics of an elegant apartment into a gallery setting. In
this environment customers were able to visualize these unique objects in their own homes.
Prip, Pearson, Frid and Wildenhain hoped this would establish a connection between object,
maker and customer.
One of the rooms in Shop One housed jewelry and raised silver, most of which was produced
by Ronald Pearson and John Prip. Due to the large quantity of custom jewelry work, they
established a studio in the same building making them more accessible to customers yet
independent of the store. Prip and Pearson designed their jewelry to maintain a steady
turnover. Merchandise that did not sell in Shop One was sold to out-of-town stores.
Shop One opened in 1952 and remained in business until 1976. |
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