Published on May 19, 2022

“My husband bought me a cricket for Christmas,” she said. “I, in the meantime, had gotten pregnant with my second son, and I started messing around the cricket, learning how to use it. Then, I made some shirts for my older son and then the baby and posted on Facebook. People were like ‘Oh my God, these are so cute, you know, how can you make me this?’ ‘Can you make me those?’ It just like it just took off from there.” 

She soon started to sell her products online and said the pandemic actually made business better for not only herself, but other skilled crafters and artisans.  

“Etsy sales were like crazy high during the pandemic,” she said. “I would say that it affected everybody in a more positive way. You know, so at least that was one good thing that happened from the pandemic.” 

She said these days, online sales are starting to go down as more people shop in store. She said this shift is what inspired her to open the Handmade Haven in Brunswick. 

“This gives people the opportunity to come in, touch the item, see what it looks like in person,” she said. 

She said the store is a space where crafters and artisans can sell their creations. 

“It's always changing,” she said. “You come in one day at the beginning of the week, and then by the time you come in at the end of the week, there's different stuff. The vendors are always coming in, changing out stuff, bringing new stuff in.” 

She said it’s also a place for people to discover something new. 

“If you're just looking for a unique gift for a family member or a friend, you can find something here,” she said. 

Esser said if you’re a crafter or an artisan interested in your work being showcased in the store, you can reach out to her through the Handmade Haven Facebook page. 

She said while the store is currently full, she’s happy to add anyone to the ongoing waiting list.

Original Post: https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/cleveland/news/2022/05/05/lifelong-artisan-opens-the-handmade-haven-to-help-sell-people-s-creations--