SAN ANTONIO – Centro San Antonio is making a big push this holiday season to shop, celebrate, and support downtown.
If you visit, you will notice new opportunities that are taking place on Houston Street until January 14.
Agave Muerto Clay is one of seven local businesses that are filling in Centro pop-up shops.
“There are a bunch of handmade products that are all made by us or designed by us,” Melina Lozano, with Agave Muerto Clay said.
It is part of Centro’s “Tis the Season” initiative.
“Centro’s role is to really support all of downtown. And there’s so many amazing traditions. It needed some retail love. And so, our Main Street economic development team really did their work and inviting local makers to activate spaces that were otherwise vacant,” Elizabeth Burt, the director of Urban Activation and Play for Centro San Antonio said.
From pottery to bracelets to fragrances, the idea is to think big and shop small.
“Our small businesses downtown are enduring a lot and they could use some love and what better narrative for the holidays and local supporting locals,” Burt said.
And Centro is not just helping small businesses, they are also working to help the less fortunate this holiday season.
“Centro’s Quality of Life Ambassadors really work with local partners and coordinating services and unmet needs of some of our most vulnerable populations. You know, those services include shelter, food and personal hygiene services,” Burt said.
As for Melina, the experiment started earlier this month, and so far so good.
“It’s kind of like a trial to see if I can have a retail space, if I can fully stock it. I own my own ceramics business. I’m a potter by trade. And this is kind of like a trial run to see, ‘Okay, will a retail space work for me?’ And it’s been a really great experience so far,” Lozano said.
You can find more information on the “Tis the Season” activities by clicking here.