A new indoor market opened in Sheffield city centre last Saturday, 7 February.
The Atrium, located on Eyre Street just above the Off the Canvas café, is an ‘eclectic mix’ of small independent businesses that have come together.
The market is a celebration of local creatives, makers and businesses, focused on building a community.
Customers can enjoy anything from clothes shopping, trainer restoration, tattoo appointments, a vintage book selection, art pieces, reformer pilates and more.
Dawn, the owner of Mad Hatters Emporium, a business dedicated to showcasing and selling the work of local small makers, said: “It’s important that people see who they’re buying from or who they’re supporting, and get that face to face connection, because […] we’re sorely lacking that right now.”
Opening day on Saturday was “buzzing”.
Tracy, who didn’t want to give a surname, said: “We were all a bit nerve-wracked. We didn’t know what to expect [or] how far the marketing had got.” She is a holistic therapist who owns Willow & Stone Apothecary which focuses on ‘natural and spiritual self-care’.
Dawn, who didn’t want to give a surname, added: “There was a lot of excitement around it just for something different […] and very new. We are very young.”
Some businesses are still preparing to open, and final building works continue through opening week.
Photo credit: Raye Osterloh (@r4y3m0n)
The Atrium is also an opportunity for brand new businesses to ‘test the waters’ in the pop-up area for a day at a time. The aim is always to support ‘made local’.
Dawn said: “It’s very easy to go for mass produced and faceless companies.
“I think when you start supporting local independence, that helps the community.”
Dawn and Tracy agree that it’s not just about selling things. Tracy aims for her apothecary to be a place where people can ‘just come in and have a chat’. “My door is always open.” she said.
“It’s been very organic – how it’s grown and how people have come together.” Dawn added.
“It just feels like it’s all the right people at the right time: have all come together and found this opportunity or this opportunity has found them.”
Their final message is “Just come and see what we’re all about!”