Saturday, June 20, 2009

Desks for rent

Thursday's Business section featured C4 Workspace, one of our newest neighbors, and a new Chamber member.
Go by and say "hi", and see this interesteing space.



PHOTOS BY BILLY CALZADA/gcalzada@express-news.net

C4 Workspace is a new co-working site in the King William area. It caters to consultants, freelancers, home-based business owners and others in search of a conference room, desk, electricity and a place to network.


By L. A. Lorek - Express-News
Nomadic workers have a new place to meet, plug in a laptop and make a cell phone call in San Antonio.
C4 Workspace, a co-working site, opened this month at 108 King William. It caters to consultants, freelancers, home-based business owners and others in search of a conference room, desk, electricity and a place to network with others.
“We're trying to create a big office environment for single workers,”.......
for complete storygo to:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/Desks_for_rent.html

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Haute Pink Bazaar! June 23!


Alamo City Etsy Street Team comes to SOUTHTOWN!

June 23 is National Pink Day, and the Alamo City Etsy Team is celebrating in style! We will be hosting our first Trunk Show and Silent Auction to benefit local Breast Cancer charities. The Bazaar will kick off at 7pm and run late. Come out and enjoy a dazzling array of locally made goods, music, wine and hors d'voures.
FREE and Open to the public!

Come on by and see at B.Link and support an awesome cause!

Saturday, June 6, 2009

First time without food at tonight's First Friday

Web Posted: 06/05/2009 6:37 CDT

By Valentino Lucio - Express-News
For people heading out to First Friday this evening something may seem different. The enticing aromas of turkey legs, roasted corn and fajitas will be absent, maybe causing several stomachs to grumble.Tonight, the event will reflect the vision some residents imagined — a First Friday without food vendors. The move has made people associated with the First Friday task force content since they thought the vendors made the area undesirable during the event.Now, their wish has been granted. A visit from Metro Health at a task force meeting last month produced a vote from the committee to have the health department strictly enforce its rules.The department acted, not because of the vote, rather because the event lacked a general sponsor making it a health hazard since there is not an oversight committee to provide items such as toilet facilities.But finding a sponsor may come sooner than later. The South Town Chamber of Commerce has been assembled to help rejuvenate the area as well as possibly taking over as sponsor for the event. Tonight, the Lavaca Neighborhood Association and the chamber will have the grand opening of their joint office from 7 to 10 p.m. at 716 S. Alamo St.

Find this article at: http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/First_time_without_food_at_tonights_First_Friday.html

Friday, June 5, 2009

First Friday Opening at El Sol Studios



El Sol Studios Presents:

Hector Garza

Travel through time when you view Hector's beautiful paintings inspired by iconic literary authors, and historical figures. A mix of visual elements make up these ethereal painted story collages and paintings.
Soft opening reception
First Thursday June 4th
6-9 pm refreshments
First Friday Opening reception
Friday June5th
6-11pm
Music by Liberal
more info please visit http://www.elsolstudios.com/

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

First Friday opening at Inter Artisan


"A Collection of Mexican Cultural Paintings"
By Juan Barajas

Juan Barajas is a blessed painter with the magic of color, and the happiness
of Mexican folklore. Juan takes his passion for customs through his works of
art, giving form and color to emotions by filling each memory. A Mexico
native, this self taught artist has participated in numerous international
shows and exhibits. Juan's creative labor and many art medias have reached
many parts of the world, and acknowleged by many viewers. Inter Artisan is
proud to show the fine pieces of art made by Juan Barajas of Laredo, Texas.

When: June 5, 2009
Where: Inter Artisan, 1036 S. Alamo St., San Antonio, TX. 78210
Time: 3:00 p.m. till 10:00 p.m.
Other Info.: Juan Barajas will be present during this First Friday event,
please feel free to stop by for a "cultural experience through Mexico".

Etsy gives S.A. artisans a global reach

El Sol Studios makes it to the business section of the Express-News! For those who didn't get last Saturday's Express-News, here's the story:




By L.A. Lorek - Express-News

In the recession, the do-it-yourself movement has taken off.

For proof, look no further than Etsy.com, which helps handicraft entrepreneurs turn their projects into cash.

An alternative to mass-produced merchandise, the online marketplace for handmade goods promotes sustainability, self-reliance, creativity, arts and crafts, and fun, spokesman Adam Brown said.

But to the owners of El Sol Studios in San Antonio, Etsy.com generates sales in a global economy and provides networking with other like-minded artists.

El Sol Studios owners, Ruth Guajardo and husband Larry Aguilar, sell $15 clocks, $2 magnets, $18 charm bracelets, $10 earrings, $7 ornaments and bags of milagros, or pewter charms, from Mexico for $10. Overall, El Sol has made more than 300 sales to buyers as far away as France, England and Australia on Etsy.com.

“It’s such an artist community,’’ Guajardo said. “You can find anything on there.”

Two months ago, they helped launch the Alamo City Etsy Group, which meets every month to help others open shops on the site. Increasingly, people want an outlet to sell their handicrafts to make money in this economy and the interest in Etsy.com has skyrocketed, Guajardo said.

In its “buy local” section, Etsy.com lists more than 100 San Antonio sellers offering up all kinds of handmade items, including dresses, toys, jewelry and ceramics and pottery.

“It’s the ultimate consignment place,’’ said Brandy Garcia, owner of B.Link, who runs an Etsy.com store with jewelry and other items. She’s sold 16 pieces this year to buyers as far away as Poland. Etsy.com also helps give exposure to her new shop in the King William district.

“People want things handmade,’’ Garcia said. “They want to buy local."

for the complete story go to:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/local/Etsycom_offers_SA_artistsans_a_global_reach.html
for Alamo City Etsy go to:
http://www.alamocityetsy.blogspot.com

Brandy Garcia stands behind her jewelry creations in her Southtown boutique, B.link

By Leigh Baldwin
from San Antonio Current 5/6/2009

Fiesta meant a particularly successful week for a new Southtown boutique, B.Link, open on South St. Mary’s across from El Mirador since December. The Fiesta focus on neighborhood events like Beethoven Gartenfest and King William Fair meant strong sales and new customers for Brandy Garcia, B.Link’s owner. A new customer myself, I checked in on the creative entrepreneur to see how it all began.
This is Garcia’s first retail venture, but she has been working with her hands as a crafter for the past decade. After high school, she says, “I saw a guy making hemp jewelry on the Santa Monica pier, and I thought, ‘I want to do that.’”
Working at Nomadic Notions in Austin for three years allowed Garcia to learn jewelry-making techniques and appreciate a creative environment.
“In college I was an engineering major,” she says, “but rather than studying, I was usually making a necklace, or trying to make a new book bag.” She gravitated toward art history and architecture classes, but Garcia’s math skills were not forgotten. “I like symmetry. Even when I am trying for something random, I’ll make a pattern.”
B.Link features jewelry lines by Garcia and friend Rosie Guerra. Garcia describes her style as minimalist, and the simple lines of her pieces speak for themselves. Garcia works primarily in sterling silver and 14k gold, semi-precious stones, and pearls. Even so, the bracelets and necklaces especially are bold and colorful, reflecting the inspiration she finds in nightclubs and at parties. “I always look at what people are wearing!” she laughs.
In addition to jewelry, the shop is devoted to locally made, quality handcrafted items ranging from clothing and accessories to home décor and fine art. She sources local artists through friends and family, paying attention to neighbors at Blue Star and other galleries. B.Link carries everything from decadent organza and silk saris by Sharon Williams to photography by Marciela Mendez, a cinematography student just accepted to film school in Los Angeles.
“Since everything is handmade locally, everything is essentially linked together, to one another,” Garcia explains. Add her first initial to “link” and a new brand was born.
Perhaps not close geographically, another major artist featured in the shop is Garcia’s sister, a graphic designer in San Francisco who suggested the shop’s name and designed the shop’s logo, exquisite item tags, handmade books, and some photos and letterpress work. Family is a big influence for Garcia — her father picked out the shop’s location.
Garcia’s other passion is environmental awareness. The vintage bike she uses to run errands is parked in the front window, and the furniture and fixtures in the shop are recycled, vintage, or made in an environmentally responsible manner.
“By carrying locally made items, I’m not aiding in the extra use of petroleum gas for shipping and at the same time, supporting my local economy,” she says.
Garcia used low Voltalie Organic Compound paint and natural homemade cleaning products in the boutique, and even the silver she uses in her jewelry is recycled. It’s made from something called precious-metal clay — silver shards, reclaimed from everything from cars to computers, embedded in clay. When fired, the clay dissolves and leaves solid silver behind.
Garcia also knits and designs clothing and handbags, something she’s hoping to do more of in the future. She prefers to recycle fabric from old garments, transforming it into something completely new. Not surprisingly, her style is inspired by the early ’60s mod movement: A-lines, big, bold graphics, and neutral colors. She names Betsy Johnson and Heatherette as her favorite modern designers. Garcia also maintains an etsy shop and is a member of the fledgling Alamo etsy Street Team.
So, I’m sure you’re wondering: Is it pronounced blink? or B-link? “I like them both,” Garcia laughs. How accommodating!
Clothes-minded’s picks
Mother of pearl and leather bracelet by Brandy Garcia: $14
La Boca del Infierno letterpress: $30
Blue print pashmina: $29
Where to get it
B.Link
707 S. St. Mary’s
myspace.com/b_link_sanantonio

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

First Friday bans food and drink vendors











Web Posted: 05/20/2009 12:00 CDT
By Valentino Lucio - Express-News
People expecting to snack on roasted corn or turkey legs at the next First Friday are in for a surprise: No vendors will be allowed to sell the fare.
The First Friday Task Force, an organization created in February to control crime and other problems at the event, demanded that Metropolitan Health District stop issuing permits for food and drink vendors at the event.
Task force members agreed that they wanted to do away with anything that would make the monthly event resemble a carnival.
Stephen Barscewski, Metro Health's sanitation services manager, said revisions to the city's code governing food preparation last May allow his agency to grant the task force's request.
Barscewski said his agency gave the vendors a sufficient grace period before notifying them that they no longer could do business at First Friday.
He said that among the biggest violations being committed is that vendors weren't providing restrooms as required under the code.
Barscewski said vendors had failed to get written permission from area businesses to operate and that First Friday continues to lack a general sponsor.
Leo Jaramillo, a longtime First Friday food vendor, called the task force's decision biased, adding that it was aimed at protecting the interest of the committee members, some of whom live and own businesses in the area.
“I felt left out,” he said. “The decision they made affects a lot of people. It hurts me because I depend on that money.”
Brad Shaw, president of the King William Neighborhood Association and a steering committee member, said the latest decision is in keeping with the task force's goal of retaining the event's original intent: promoting art.
He didn't believe the decision was biased, saying the committee had two seats for vendors and that vendors never stepped up to help clean the area after First Friday events or helped pay for infrastructure.
Shaw said the Southtown area has organized its own chamber of commerce, hoping that one day it would take ownership of the event and serve as its sponsor.
He said the Southtown Chamber of Commerce would then be the entity to maintain the integrity of First Friday.
“It's going to be a pretty nice thing,” Shaw said. “We're taking the right steps to get away from the carnival atmosphere.”

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to our new Southtown Chamber of Commerce blog. The purpose of this blog is to grow, develop and foster business and/or otherwise relationships between neighbors, colleagues, businesses in the area as well as our customers.

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