the Pajama Factory Newsletter

In Focus:
Cobbler’s Shoe Outlet

Before making pajamas, the Pajama Factory housed a shoe manufacturer by the name of Cobbler’s. Thirty years ago the manufacturer was sold but Margaret Chapman, whose husband was the last Cobbler’s employee to lock up the plant, decided to keep the small shoe outlet going. She bought the store and its contents and kept Cobbler’s Shoe Outlet alive.

Rumor has it the very first Keds shoe was manufactured on this spot in 1916, sparking the “sneaker revolution.” Thanks to Margaret, Cobbler’s–an anchor business at the Pajama Factory–continues to sell Keds and other shoes at great prices.

Friends,

It has been a hot summer everywhere including at the Pajama Factory, but we’ve kept the fans blowing, the shades pulled, and the beers icy cold!

Our Artists-in-Residence recently left after a wonderfully successful art opening and we are sorry to see them go. We all enjoyed getting to know them and are thrilled that many have promised to come back and visit with their friends and families (a few are even planning on relocating to Williamsport!). But with their departure, we’ve already welcomed five new tenants! We are so very proud of our growing community and it has been so inspiring to continue to get to know so many talented and entrepreneurial people.

We hope you enjoy the rest of your summer – splash a little, play a lot, and most importantly, stay cool. And of course, come visit us at the Factory!

– Mark and Susie Winkelman

An Incubator for Small Business

The Pajama Factory salutes the small businesses that have started within our community and then, with their success here, have expanded and grown.

One of our tenants, the Graphic Hive, recently split their operation in two. They took over an entire building in downtown Williamsport to house their graphic design firm and art gallery – in fact, at the Grey Gallery’s soft opening Pajama Factory artists sold over 40 pieces. The other part of the business–the music venue ’Hive’–will stay here at the Pajama Factory in a new dedicated space.

Congratulations on their success, as well as to Eagle Rock Winery, who will be moving downtown after four years with us, and Digitees, who recently relocated to Muncy because they needed more space than we currently have available for them.

We hope you continue to support the businesses that have grown up at the Pajama Factory.

Building Updates

Communal Studios Moving Forward

We are continuing to ready our communal studios for the extended local community in and around Williamsport. For the Clay Place, we just laid the brick flooring for the electric kilns, installed shelving, framed out the office areas, and we continue to collect names of people who are interested in studio time and/or taking classes (contact Chad Andrews if you are interested).

We are also thrilled that Nick Tinney, our resident woodworker, is looking forward to helping set up a woodworking studio in a 3,000 square-foot ground floor space. Among many of the pieces he makes, Nick turns incredible wood bowls on the lathe, working with the quirky nature of wood to emphasize the beauty of nature in his pieces. You can see Nick at work in his studio in one of our many “In the Studios” photo galleries. Thanks Nick!

PJ Office has Moved!

The ground floor of Building 6 now includes the Factory office (we are expanding to include a small gallery/meeting area). Our new location–just off the parking lot across from the greenhouse–should be easier for visitors to locate. We’re happy to be across from Carrie’s new Sandwich Shop, recently opened and featuring great coffee and Italian ices, amongst many other goodies! We also share the ground floor corridor with a Skateboard store, an antique clothing and accessory store, and two church groups.

Tenant Update: Moving in, Moving up

There’s been lots of tenant activity in the building as people join the community and tenants expand into bigger spaces. Some of our new faces include a musician/photographer/painter, a custom tailor, a Lycoming College professor who teaches Studio Arts, a metal worker/forger/blacksmith, a radio station (WXPI), the Billtown Burlesque troop, and another church group. We are also seeing a large number of tenants moving into bigger spaces, which has freed up some of our smaller spaces for the people lingering patiently on our wait list.

In Closing

Don’t miss September’s First Friday when artists will open their studios up to the public, and you’ll find fascinating photography at every turn. Ooh and aah over images by featured artist Curtis Salonic, visiting from Wilkes-Barre, PA, and take in the Burlesque display–still images and video from WXPI’s fundraiser held in April, "A Night of Burlesque." You can check out the Facebook event listing for more details.

Photo credit: Keely Loy

A Night of Burlesque brought something new to the performance and art scene in this area.
Stop in Studio 15 on First Friday for a glimpse of the promise of Burlesque in Williamsport.

Thanks for your continued support. We hope to see you in September!