Madison Avenue Turning Into an Art District?

In just a few-block stretch, there are about a half-dozen art galleries dotting the landscape along western Madison Avenue. 

It wasn’t necessarily planned, but most gallery owners concede that the neighborhood is rapidly gaining a reputation as the spot to buy local art in Lakewood.

There have been a few recent gallery openings in a 1,500-stretch of the commerical corridor.

Good Goat Gallery opened its doors earlier this year; Crafty Goodness moved into the space shared with Goddess Blessed in February; and the Cleveland Art Market opened at 16806 Madison Avenue in March.

That’s in addition to businesses that have already been around — galleries that include Breakneck Gallery and Rockflower Studio.

“We have a little art community building up here,” Nancy Cintron, the owner of the Good Goat Gallery, recently told Lakewood Patch.

The galleries don’t view each other as competitors.

“Art galleries offer unique products,” said Valerie Konopka, who owns the Cleveland Art Market. “I don’t feel like I am competing with them at all. I have different stuff, and they have different stuff. If someone comes in my shop and they don’t find something they like, they will someplace else. It’s not like you buy something here, just because.

“You have to love it to buy it.”

With solid leadership already in place in the Madison Avenue Merchants Association, look for the artist trend to continue.

“It would be really cool if, from Carabel to Cordova, we have an arts district,” said Chris Sorensen, who owns Crafty Goodness, adding that she like to see the galleries organize to host events in warmer weather.

Dru Siley, the city’s director of planning and development, said it helps to have the businesses close to each other to create a cluster — a destination for shoppers.

“The art scene and the creative class has been on Madison and it’s been showing up more and more,” he said. “It has been, and continues to grow as, Lakewood’s art corridor.”

Not to mention the countless architects and graphic designers, he said.

“Madison has a funky, Bohemian style to it,” Siley said. “When you have similar uses next to each other it absolutely helps — It creates energy. If you’re a customer and walk to three or four galleries that’s an attractive proposition.”