Stone Soup, the art gallery at The Shops of Grand River outlet mall, is proving to be a big hit with Alabama artists and with shoppers. But it was never intended to be a permanent fixture at the new mall and likely will be gone shortly after Christmas.
According to artists familiar with the arrangement, mall developer Daniel Corp. didn't want shoppers walking past an empty storefront when the mall opened, and it hadn't yet filled the space. So it created the temporary gallery. The artists are thrilled with the arrangement. They pay a $250 fee to cover overhead, and Daniel then collects just a 10 percent commission on sales, compared to the 40 percent charged by most galleries. And people are buying.
One artist said shoppers often walk in without realizing it's a gallery -- the words "art" and "gallery" aren't on the signage. They stay, browse and buy.
Bonnie Smith, an artist who was watching the shop one day this week, said the outlet mall crowd is not your typical art gallery crowd. She's especially enjoyed watching mall-cruising teens wander in. Young girls come in looking for a deal on pumps or a purse and walk out with new appreciation for white clay pottery and abstract impressionism.
The lease for the gallery, which shows the work of about 50 Alabama artists, expires Jan. 15. Artists said they hope Daniel might repeat the current arrangement between leases at other spots in the mall or even find a smaller space for a permanent gallery.
"That would be awesome," Smith said.
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