SHAWANO, Wis. — Five years ago, Megan Pedersen started making decorative signs in her parent’s garage.
It has been her creative outlet for a long time and today she’s still at. But now, she works in her own space at her Shawano home.
“It’s a way for me to be creative and make a ton of different things. It feels good when I can post them online and people tell me they like them,” Pedersen said. “Or when I get a notification from The Blend saying that somebody purchased one of my signs. It just makes me feel going knowing my art is hanging somewhere in someones house.”
Pedersen owns Hazel Designs by Megan. She’s one of about 15 women who are part of The Blend, a downtown Shawano retail space where she and others can sell their products.
“With The Blend, I can make signs and build up an inventory — signs I think people might like or I might find a new sign I want to try making — and it gives me a chance to be creative that way,” Pedersen said.
The Blend opened in July. Businesses — many which only had an online presence — rent space and sell their goods to customers.
Product lines range from clothing to decorative items and soaps. Many are hand-made or homemade products.
It's a business that's all about women supporting women.
Alex Hartwig launched The Blend to not only fulfill her purpose, but to help other women find success.
“It’s kind of bringing those side hustles to life in a brick and mortar experience, rather than just strictly online,” she said.
Hartwig said she hopes The Blend is the help other entrepreneurs need to eventually strike out fully on their own.
“I know it sounds kind of crazy, but the goal is actually for them to become so successful and grow so big that they can move out maybe purchase their own property here in downtown Shawano,” she said. “That would be the ultimate goal for any of the women who are in here. I want them to get too big for us. I want them to get too successful for us.”
Pedersen said she recently got a notification she’d sold her 20th sign at The Bend.
“It doesn’t sound like a lot. The number 20 isn’t big, but to me it’s big,” she said. “That’s huge.”