VISITLIVERPOOL MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – MERSEYMADE
Looking for a special gift with a unique Liverpool connection? How about a creative, fun venue, full of good vibes? Or perhaps a cool café and bar that supports Liverpool’s home-grown talent? Look no further. This beautifully curated city centre cafe and store has got it made.
MerseyMade is a hive of creative energy in the heart of Liverpool City Centre. It gives a curated section of artists and makers a base from which to sell their products and doubles-up as a unique and stimulating venue for hire, perfect for people who thrive in a creative environment.
Here, VisitLiverpool member and MerseyMade Founder and Director, Vicky Gawith tells us more about her unique business venture and how it works to champion and Liverpool artists and makers.
MerseyMade Founder and Director, Vicky Gawith
Vicky, sorry to put you on the spot, but can you give us your elevator pitch?
Yes, of course. MerseyMade is a vibrant creative hub in Liverpool City Centre. We are ‘Shop Local’ at its best. Showcasing local makers is at the heart of everything we do as we offer a city-centre sales outlet for products made by over 100 of the best artists and makers in our region. We have a large selection of items, from paintings and prints to jewellery, honey and gin.
You can meet our 10 resident artists and makers who work from their studios on the premises and are all happy to show you their work, give you an insight into their process and even commission a piece of unique artwork!
MerseyMade isn’t simply a Liverpool store and artistic community, is it?
No. MerseyMade also host a wide range of events from workshops, business meetings, away-days, hen-do’s, birthday parties, guided tours, drinks receptions and even gin-tastings in our bright and spacious event room!
Our Gordon Smith café provides a welcoming and relaxed creative space offering an amazing variety of cakes, sweet treats and comforting plates. Wherever we can we try to support local producers and independent suppliers.
Tell us more about your location and building.
Comprising a shop, artist studios, café and versatile event space in Liverpool city centre, MerseyMade offers a wide range of events and facilities in a welcoming and inclusive creative hub.
Here at Chancery House, on Paradise Street, we’re just a stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of Liverpool ONE, the Albert Dock and the Baltic Triangle on Paradise Street MerseyMade offers a unique space against the backdrop of our historic Grade II Listed Building that was once home to the Gordon Smith Seamen’s Institute.
MerseyMade is also a culinary venue, and we get amazing feedback about the quality of our dishes. To add value to our events our team of in-house chefs can provide a variety of food to suit your unique event and cater for any dietary requirements guests may have.
MerseyMade is located at Unit 2, Chancery House, 98 Paradise Street, Liverpool, L1 3HJ
What’s the ethos behind MerseyMade?
MerseyMade is the coming together of creative entrepreneurs in a stimulating, supportive and positive environment. When you host an event at MerseyMade, you know you are contributing to the local community by supporting local and independent makers and suppliers and that feels good!
We pride ourselves on our welcoming and inclusive atmosphere and having accessible facilities is extremely important to us. MerseyMade has an accessible entrance, lift and accessible bathroom so everyone can enjoy our wonderful event space.
What kind of unique gifts can visitors expect to find here?
We stock a wide range of gifts made lovingly by local artists and makers in the Liverpool City Region. From gin, jewellery, artwork, prints, ceramics, jams, honey, fudge, chocolate, and a lot more in-between.
Many of our products are handmade which makes each item unique and so special. We have a range of gifts both Liverpool-themed and more general and we continuously update our inventory, to keep our shop looking fresh and to ensure there is always something new for our customers to see.
Inside the MerseyMade store.
Do you have a favourite item from the ‘Gordon Smith café’ menus?
My personal favourite has got to be our Smashed Avo with Halloumi, Rocket and Sweet Chilli Sauce. Being vegetarian, it is important to me that we have many delicious vegetarian and vegan options for everyone to enjoy.
Our all-day breakfast/brunch menu is so popular amongst locals and visitors alike, that’s why we’ve extended our offering and now have many more vegan dishes, along with many scrumptious cakes, which are just heavenly.
Inside the MerseyMade cafe
Tell me more about your artist’s studios.
We have 10 open-plan artist studios located on our bright and airy mezzanine floor. Our artists and makers cover a wide-range of disciplines from painting and illustrating to sewing, upcycling and even nail-art.
The studios are a very special, one-of-a-kind space in Liverpool as they allow our creative residents to bounce ideas off one another whilst also interacting with the public. Visitors are welcome to come and watch our artists at work, discuss their processes or even commission a bespoke piece of artwork. It truly is a unique space that we are so proud to have created.
What are you most looking forward to getting back to this summer?
We can’t wait to get our events up and running. We have a beautiful event space that we are so excited to utilise. It’s been a difficult year for the events and hospitality industry, and we are so looking forward to seeing people enjoying themselves and having fun once again. We are also working on a new cocktail menu so keep your eyes peeled for that.
For more information visit the Merseymade website HERE