Lakewood has long served as a hub for Cleveland artisans, a reputation reflected in the holiday market at the Screw Factory Art Studios.

The Screw Factory Holiday Market is an annual event that was held from Dec. 19-21. The venue hosted hundreds of vendors, artists and artisans, ranging from those who have a home base at the facility to those who travel across the state to sell their goods.

“So having businesses like these,” fashion designer Megan Engelmann said, “where you’re also relying on other artists and their popularity in the community, it’s really fantastic to be able to count on each other to bring their clients in.”

Formerly a manufacturing plant for the Lake Erie Screw Co., the building has been repurposed into a multi-use facility that houses dozens of professional art studios and workspaces.

“People come in here, and it’s the wow factor,” said woodcraftswoman and vendor Mary Ellis. “They’ve never seen this before. People say it just makes [them] happy to look at art.”

The Screw Factory’s environment made the holiday market unique. The event was split across three stories of the building, with winding, narrow hallways and wide, open rooms hosting vendors, personal art studios, businesses and more.

Each hallway was like entering a new building, featuring a distinctive array of work that spanned from intricate rugs to Jurassic dinosaurs hanging overhead.

The number of vendors selling original works was an awe-inspiring sight. While many sold woodcrafts, paintings and pottery, there was also a plethora of individuals offering specialty items such as fudge, mason-jar crafts and beeswax.

“There’s … hundreds of vendors here, so … everyone [has] an opportunity to come through and take a look at stuff,” Ellis said. “I was roaming the halls just looking around, and the scenery would change on every floor.”​

Besides the art pieces, a large number of businesses separate from the art vendors advertised services including aromatherapy, studio classes and community resources.

Throughout the three-day event, hundreds of visitors passed through the sale. The event drew a diverse crowd, with artists selling numerous works to both local residents and regional visitors.

“There are a lot of people who want to support small businesses and handmade and homemade and that kind of thing,” said Denise Foster, owner of Foster’s Old Time Fudge. “Shows like this promote that over the big-box stores and more personal items,” Foster said. “There are so many different artists here — and resident artists and guest artists — and they get a very good foot traffic through here.”

This event provided a platform for artists and artisans alike to display and sell their work, but the market was more than a simple sale. It served to bring the community together, offering the public a chance to support local businesses and connect with one another.

Markets like these offer goods, services and experiences that can be found in few other areas in Cleveland. Art is a part of daily life in Lakewood, and the studios at the Screw Factory help to keep that creative spirit thriving.

Overall, the eighth annual holiday market was a success. Throughout the three-day event, hundreds of visitors stopped by and were introduced to new forms of art. The market promoted local creators and encouraged shoppers to support small businesses rather than major retailers during the holiday season.

The Screw Factory will host its Valentine’s Art Market on Feb. 6-7. The next Holiday Market sale is currently scheduled for Dec 11-13.