Wildflowers Armory

In downtown Syracuse is a bastion of locally made gifts cooperatively sold by the artisans in a beautiful building filled with light. Such a variety of items and I really enjoyed talking to the artisan running the shop that day. There are prints, stickers of local colleges & attractions, pottery, jewelry, soaps, candles, repurposed items (bike chains into decorations), photos, woodworking, locally made perfume blends, stained glass, upstate New York food offerings (homemade caramel marshmallows!), and more. Be sure to check them out soon.

Great upstairs but the downstairs is very unique. A mini mall that has a lot to offer. There needs to be more promotion of the downstairs.

Cute place for shoppers but not so cute for artist vendors. They ask artist vendors to "volunteer" free labor every month, on top of rent + commission fee ($100/month + 20% commission) for a 2x3ft space. Except they claim that "reliable transportation, positive attitude and timeliness are crucial for this opportunity" so it doesn't sound all that voluntary does it. Something about that just rubs me the wrong way so badly that there is always a viel of ick when I'm there knowing they operate this way. Either have artists hire you for your service, or you hire people to operate your shop. This isn't even a co-op. Your free labor isn't exchanged for any kind of member-ownership. It's exchanged for... you pay them rent to sell. This kind of sleezy way of exploiting artists just boils my blood. Fellow local artists, check your community based faires in the summer and fall. The local ones can be very affordable and you keep a bit more dignity than offering free labor just to pay $100 a month plus 20% to rent a 2x3ft space to sell here.

This quaint market has a mixed bag of stuff. All of it cool. There is something for everyone. Parking is on the street and I do believe there is access to the basement via an elevator. The shops are tight so mobility might be an issue. There is a bathroom downstairs. There is also a nice little coffee shop in the basement. I like the Soflea shop. There is usually a bunch of vendors set up in the center, that changes weekly from the few times I have been there. If you come across some poser looking dude named Mike and he happens to be yelling, making a scene. Just leave him be, all bark and no bite, well he might chew your pants a little like a chihuahua would. Some people need drama in their lives and weren't taught manners.

Wildflowers Armory is one of my favorite places to shop jewelery by local artists and small businesses. They don't just have jewelry though, they have everything from mini sculptures, prints, clothes, and even handmade kitchenware. I especially love visiting Cherry Pit downstairs, a vintage curated thrift store. There is so much to explore here!