Published On: 09.01.16 | 

By: Michael Tomberlin

Makers Village at Pepper Place hosts Alabama Chanin, extending into holiday season

Natalie Chanin, founder of Alabama Chanin, will be at Makers Village in Birmingham's Market at Pepper Place Saturday Night. (Rinne Allen)

Alabama Chanin founder and creative director Natalie Chanin will be at the Market at Pepper Place in Birmingham Saturday to highlight new announcements for the Makers Village there.

Chanin is the first guest speaker as part of Makers Village, a new portion of the Market at Pepper Place added in June. The Florence clothing designer and manufacturer will share her experience as an Alabama maker and take questions starting at 10 a.m. on Sept. 3.

Alabama NewsCenter is a sponsor of the Makers Village and many of the vendors at the Market at Pepper Place have been featured as part of the online news site’s “Alabama Maker” series. The Alabama Tourism Department has declared 2016 the “Year of the Alabama Maker.”

Pepper Place’s popular Makers Village extends season, welcomes Natalie Chanin from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

 

Related: Alabama Power chef showcases induction cooking at Pepper Place

 

Leigh Sloss-Corra, executive director of the Market at Pepper Place, said the Makers Village is extended until October and the portion of the village next to OvenBird restaurant will continue to be open until Dec. 10 to allow holiday shoppers to buy Alabama-made goods.

“Makers Village has been a huge success here at Pepper Place,” she said. “It started in June and was supposed to go until the first weekend of September, but it’s been so successful that we’re extending it until Oct. 1.”

Sloss-Corra said the addition of makers was a natural outgrowth of what started as a farmers market.

“The market has been supporting makers for a long time in the state of Alabama,” she said. “It turns out there is incredible, incredible work being done in the state. There is incredible craftsmanship. Every week, I’m blown away by the quality of what you see out here.”

The Market at Pepper Place takes place on Saturdays at 2825 Second Ave. S. from 7 a.m. until noon.

Natalie Chanin is founder and creative director of Florence's successful Alabama Chanin. (Rinne Allen)

Natalie Chanin is founder and creative director of Florence’s successful Alabama Chanin, a clothing business. (Rinne Allen)