The annual Pop Up at Pickles Gap delivered community members a near-perfect Saturday filled with local vendors, delicious Doc’s Coffee and Creamery drinks and a live band playing as shoppers persuaded themselves into buying one more thing.
The annual event is hosted by Doc’s Coffee and Creamery, The Ranch House Antiques, and Arkansas Knife Shop and is held in The Village at Pickles Gap.
Vendors and small businesses came equipped with sweet treats, sublime Christmas gift options, vintage clothing and numerous homemade bath items and jewelry.
The Rustic Jewel, located inside The Village, has an in-house spa and offers natural, organic products that almost anyone could enjoy for a spa day: skin care products, hand balms, bath bombs, bath salts, jewelry and more.
Speaking of handmade, Karen Freeman creates and sells paintings, acrylics and pottery items. Her beautifully detailed horsetail pottery vases are among her most popular items. She says it is her favorite art to make, even though horsetail pottery can take multiple weeks to complete.
“I was an art teacher for around 25 to 30 years, so I learned to make pottery for that. It brings me so much pleasure, and I really enjoy it,” Freeman said.
Freeman is a Conway League of Artists member and has had her art displayed at Art on the Green, The O Gallery, and Moore’s Art Supplies.
Danielle Kindsfater is the owner of Happiness Handmade and provides shoppers with hand-drawn prints and watercolor paintings of beautiful, light and airy floral and fowl silhouettes.
She says her background in the mental health profession is what helped inspire her optimistic business name.
“Sometimes life is really hard. Sometimes we have to make our own happiness, and I get a lot of fulfillment and joy out of doing this, so I thought it was an appropriate name.”
Kindsfater has been drawing since she was a little girl, and she says her finger is “a little deformed” since she’s been doing it for so long. She has been dabbling in watercolor for around four years now.
Kindsfater has been laboring to improve specific techniques recently.
“I’ve been working on composition and color palettes because, come on, color theory is hard. I’ve improved on that,” she said.
To prove this, she brought one of her newest works featuring her gray cat, Kitty, sitting around some adorable shaded pumpkins.
While perusing the booths and shops, shoppers could drop inside Doc’s Coffee and Creamery. Known for its relaxing and homey atmosphere, patrons took advantage of the cozy space, and many enjoyed a refreshing coffee, lemonade, pastry, piece of fudge or a tea as they shopped.
If someone didn’t get any baked goods at Doc’s, they might have stepped over to Schylar Hester’s booth to get one of her homemade sugar cookies or pastries.
Her shop was conveniently set up near the exit — perfect for someone wanting to grab a sweet treat as they leave.
For those with a hearty appetite for more than pastries, Harbor House BBQ was set up all day with multiple mouthwatering food options to hold you over.
As locals took in the sight of the multiple booths, businesses and various stocking stuffer options, the band Bellwood serenaded them live for two hours. The band played originals and covers relevant to both mainstream and oldies lovers, like hits from The Eagles, Weezer, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Twenty One Pilots and more.
The Village hosts events throughout the year. Information about upcoming events can be found on Facebook at The Village at Pickles Gap.