Hey everyone!
This season’s ‘support local business’ spotlight is dedicated to…
Collectiv
Collectiv is a carefully curated collection of local artists, crafters, designers and makers. From unique jewelry to handcrafted candles, clothing, accessories, customized cards, decorations, and more! They have new products arriving weekly from various local artisans and makers, so you’ll always find something new, plus a few vintage items!
The pop up shop started 2 years ago, when it began hosting events at different local venues, like Tea’se Tea Shoppe, Perkolator Coffee and Fannie’s, to name a few. As of Nov 2017 they moved into our current location at 5743 W Irving Park Rd in Portage Park, Chicago.
What makes Collectiv so awesome is that is a space where they showcase local makers/artists/designers and most of the inventory they carry is handmade right here in Chicago! In addition, they are part of the Irving Austin Business District, which is a group of small business owners whose mission is to revitalize this part of their neighborhood.
I had the honor of interviewing Lilia, the owner of Collectiv and a candle maker. She is the creator and owner of Adorn Candles, which can be found at Collectiv for purchase. I love that Lilia has close ties to Portage Park because not only is her store there, she is also a resident of Portage Park herself!
Collectiv started because of Adorn, so here is some information about Adorn and how Collectiv grew from there:
What is Adorn Candles? Adorn is Small batch wood wick candles and home fragrance accessories. Our candles are made using beeswax, a natural and healthy substance used in candle making since ancient times, coconut wax made from cold-pressed coconut oil, or coconut wax blended with orange wax, a 100% natural bi-product of the food industry. Our wicks are 100% (untreated) wood which crackle softly as they burn.
When, where, and why did you start Adorn? My company, Adorn candles, started 3.5 years ago as a hobby and has blossomed into a full time business. I love burning candles and when I realized what goes into the majority of mass produced candles: soot, chemicals, additives, and often unnecessary ingredients, I knew there had to be a way to make better product! Everything is made from scratch, so she controls what ingredients go into the candles. Many of the blends are house-made and include only essential oils, while some are blended using high-quality vegan & kosher certified fragrance oils and are free of harsh chemicals. Plus, the packaging is simple and re-usable so our candles are high quality but affordable.
What would you say is your biggest accomplishment? From creating candles, I would sell them at markets and meet so many skillful artist and crafters. I wanted to create a space for these crafters and in November of 2017 I opened my studio, Collectiv located in the Portage Park neighborhood of Chicago, to the public and now host a collection of work by 28 local makers.
Support is an essential key to success: I believe what also makes Collectiv so special is because we try to only feature handcrafted and original work. Majority of the products we sell was made from the creator themselves. It is not mass produced, and if it is, it is original work. We pride ourselves with that fact that majority of the artist are from the surrounding neighborhood of Portage Park/Irving Park because we are working to build this community as a whole. In addition, we have started a blog featuring the artist who have products at Collectiv. This gives the community and fans an opportunity to get to know the creators better too!
What advice do you have for those interested in starting a small business? Always believe in yourself and your product. Even if you have a couple of slow years in the beginning and want to call it quits push yourself to be better and don’t give up.
Collectiv is located at:
5743 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60634
5743 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60634
Monday-Wednesday CLOSED
Thursday – Saturday 12-7pm
Sunday 12-5pm
Thursday – Saturday 12-7pm
Sunday 12-5pm
(773) 236-7643
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Thank you Lilia of Collectiv for the opportunity to share with the community about your place. I highly recommend checking their place out! There are so many cute things there! If you can’t make your way up to Portage Park, check in with Collectiv and they can provide you more information about markets and where to purchase their stuff seen on their social media platforms.
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All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not paid for this entry. All photos taken by me. If you would like to be featured or would like to work with me, feel free to reach out to me at sany.delightblog@gmail.com.
SANY DELIGHT 