After a couple years traveling to art shows throughout the Northeast, Torsten and Megan Mayer-Rothbarth had two major takeaways: lots of connections with other artists and makers, but at a high financial expense.
“We traveled to shows in New England for a couple years and got to know people more because you would see the same people,” recalled Torsten Mayer-Rothbarth, a graphic designer and woodworker.
In conversations with other attendees, a common point arose.
“Shows nowadays are so expensive,” he said. And as a revenue driver, “it’s not what it used to be.”
The Mayer-Rothbarths played with the idea of opening their own storefront for a while. When they asked the friends who they met at art shows if they would be interested in selling through such a shop, they were met with a resounding yes.
In February, the husband-and-wife team made their vision a reality and opened Inhabit, a furniture, home goods and art store located at 450 Main St. in Warren.
The shop features work from about 20 artists, mostly from Rhode Island or the broader Northeast region. Inventory includes a smaller selection from around the globe, Mayer-Rothbarth says.