As the end of their lease approaches, the lesbian owners of Mt. Airy Art Garage are prepared to “go into pop-up mode.”
Renovations to a new home at 6651-6659 Germantown Ave. are expected to be completed by 2018.
In the meantime, a small handcraft and gift popup shop opens Aug. 1 at 6622 Germantown Ave. It’s across the street from what will become the garage’s new home. There will also be space to display work in the gym of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at 7301 Germantown Ave.
“Everything we do will operate in a four-block radius,” said Linda Slodki, who owns Mt. Airy Art Garage with her wife, Arleen Olshan. “Our members still have places to show and sell their work. We’ll still have some classes.”
The only thing that will wait for the new building is residential studio artist space.
Slodki noted she and Olshan found out last year that the landlord for their current building at 11 W. Mt. Airy Ave. did not want to renew their five-year lease. The decision came not long after the couple completed updates to the space with $120,000 raised from the community.
Gregory Bushu owns the property at 9-11 W. Mt. Airy Ave., according to Philadelphia property records. He purchased it for $150,000 in 1988, the records show. The records note the property’s market value dropped to $48,100 between 2011-13, before jumping to $258,400 in 2014.
Bushu could not be reached for comment.
“It was a blow,” Slodki said of finding out the art garage would have to move. She said Bushu recently sold the property, and WAJ Realty Associates told her and her wife that rent would go up 20 percent, which they could not afford.
The art garage has since partnered with Mt. Airy USA, a community-development organization. It owns several properties on Germantown Avenue, including the location of the pop-up shop and the nearby property that will become the art garage’s new home. A private investor is funding the renovations for the new space.
“We really wanted to find a permanent home for the arts community here in Mt. Airy,” said Kim Massare, director of development and community programs at Mt. Airy USA. “We identified this parcel that’s right on the main corridor. We wanted the arts garage to have a prominent place, right in the center of the neighborhood.”
The art garage and Mt. Airy USA have launched MAAG in Action, a campaign to support the move.
Proceeds will benefit the campaign from an upcoming performance by out comedian Fay Jacobs. She will present “Aging Gracelessly: 50 Shades of Fay” at 8 p.m. July 16 at the art garage, 11 W. Mt. Airy Ave. Tickets cost $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
For artists and community members to bid farewell to the current location, an “End of an Era” party is scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 6 at the art garage.
Slodki said she’s optimistic for the next phase of Mt. Airy Art Garage. The garage is pursuing a partnership with the Philadelphia Theatre Company, which is expected to begin next year. Slodki said that most likely would not have occurred without the move.
This fall, Mt. Airy Art Garage is also launching “Community of Pride,” a mural project working with fourth graders at Houston and Emlen elementary schools. The East Mt. Airy Neighbors Community Fund, part of The Philadelphia Foundation, last month awarded a $6,000 grant to the project.
“We’ve really taken lemons and turned them into lemonade,” Slodki said.