Don’t Worry, The Pattern Store Will Reopen

Breathe easy, Indy shopaholics—The Pattern Store (877 Massachusetts Ave.), which closed its doors on the first of this month, is only in for a two-week redesign and move. When the business reopens on August 15 in a new location within the building, it will be as Pattern Workshop, a marriage of makerspace and boutique. Pattern executive director Polina Osherov says the coming workshop area will operate “like a gym for makers.” Equipment costs will be shared by members, who can come and go as they please. A garage door will separate the makerspace from the retail area, which will double as an event venue. While the merchandise will be scaled back in terms of size and offerings, Osherov hopes the designers, jewelry-makers, and other members will use the workshop daily, and in the process “connect the people who experience this space with the makers very … viscerally,” Osherov says. “They get to shop in this one area, and see the people making the things right next door.” She hopes that observing the construction process will change how shoppers value what they buy. “We’re trying to connect the dots for people—why [handmade goods cost] more money, but also why it’s worth it, why it’s important to support these local artists.” The Workshop aligns more strongly with Pattern’s mission to elevate the fashion industry in Indianapolis and make it possible for designers to earn a living here.

The changes come in response to disappointing sales, despite the low price points, since the store opened last summer. “Most of our traffic came from events, so we are going to hold more meaningful events focused on local makers,” says Osherov. The space will host more pop-ups and designer showcases and eliminate lines from out-of-town designers. As a result, the selection will broaden to take the price points beyond the sub-$100 range shoppers have appreciated so far. Leather jackets and backpacks and handmade selvedge denim will push the upper range to $300 or $400, Osherov says. “But there’s a good reason for that. We want to educate people on the price difference and why it’s worth it to spend that money.”

Osherov says bargains (like an $18 pair of lipstick-printed flowy shorts we spotted before the closing) won’t go away completely. Another holdover: Plans for a previously announced larger makerspace called Ruckus nearby are on course.