Homegrown businesses are popping up all over Metro Detroit, and we found a business in downtown Rochester that’s literally buzzing. Bizzy Buzz was started to give artists a place to showcase their work and build community at the same time. With over 70 local artists, this artisan market is the perfect place to find unique items, but it was a process to get it to where it is today. The local couple who owns it risked everything.
"Initially you think, 'ah, I can fix this up, we'll just put some paint on, you know'... When we got into it, it just needed a lot more than we thought, " said Bizzy Buzz co-owner Pamela Walther. "So we really had to have that come-to-Jesus moment where it is like, 'are we going to do this?' You know, it's tough, everything you saved, your whole life, you're putting it into one thing and hoping that it works, and it's scary, but that is where I say that my faith was stronger than my fear"
When it all finally came together Walther was relieved. Luckily, after the renovations, finding the artists was an easy task. The trick was trying to make sure the artists all did different things.
"We don't want to have a couple of artists that do something similar that are going to butt heads or be competing with each other, so we are always trying to find something that you haven't seen before," explained Walther.
The shop carries everything from jewelry made out of silverware to crocheted fake cacti. In general, they have wall art, clothing, pottery, jewelry, faux flower arrangements, body lotions and potions, candles and more. Many of the artists can also customize their items to your tastes.
"If you have that hard to shop for person who has everything already - I bet they don't have a fork bracelet. I bet they don't have this and that. So I take them through the store and we always find something," said Walther.
Bizzy Buzz is located at 409 S Main Street in downtown Rochester.