The Loop has always been a place for creative industries, fix-it shops, and those who believe that if you're not wearing coveralls and work boots, you're not really working. Things are made here.
Now, we're turning this same attention to the individual makers and creatives who love what they do and take pride in a job well done. We're creating partnerships, building shared spaces, and providing support for our local maker community as a way to incubate small businesses and revitalize The Loop.
Recognizing that our local maker community has a significant impact on our economy with their small-scale manufacturing and production, we’ve partnered with Regional Economic Development, Inc. and Jabberwocky Studios to amplify and support these creative entrepreneurs. As a result of our efforts, we were named an Etsy Maker City, one of only 11 in the nation.
We're not just reaching out to Columbia's hidden economy of makers and creatives, we're creating pathways for those left out of the traditional funding and start up process, often women and minorities.
Our goal is a one-stop shop of resources for a diverse range of makers with a shared branding program, a community-wide awareness campaign, business coaching, an online makers directory, regular maker meet-ups, pop ups and tasting events, and assistance locating production or manufacturing space along The Loop corridor.
We’re also creating a community of makers with shared spaces and incubators--including the MACC makerspace and a commercial kitchen at Mizzou North in partnership with REDI.
Whether you are a maker interested in using our brand, attending a workshop, or joining one of the shared spaces or if you are a consumer who wants to buy local and support local makers – The Loop has a place for you. Just visit CRE8CoMo.com for more information.
A shared brand is the best way to get the word out about all our local makers and producers and how valuable they are to our local economy. This brand will help customers make decisions to buy and support local—and it will position Columbia and Boone County as a place where makers, producers, and creatives can thrive.
Our Loop logo is built upon the infinity symbol, spray painted on city sidewalks to indicate the start of a public works project. We love the allure of a new projectas well as the concept of infinite potentialwhen it comes to our community of makers, artisans, crafters, and cooks. And in true creative fashion, our team tipped this symbol on its side and our brand was born.
So makers, use your brand with abandon. Emboss it in leather, carve it into wood, sew it on a scarf, or ice it on cookies. Stamp it on your packaging and use it in your social media posts. Use it to show your pride--in your work and in our community of makers.
To download logo files and graphic standards, visit https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/17c5VaaHEHgWrgULJqRfJSEp3q2vTNLXo
For a branding kit and to join our online Makers Directory, contact Rae Adams at [email protected].
We can't wait to get to work.
