Kentucky Pop-Ups hosted their second annual Valentine’s Day Market at Greyline Station featuring local artisans selling handcrafted goods.

On Saturday, Feb. 8, vendors sold their goods to customers to help celebrate the Valentine’s Day holiday. The market attracted couples and independent shoppers alike.

Elizabeth Stepp, founder of Kentucky Pop-ups, hosted the event to give local small businesses a place to grow their shops, as well as connect with their customers.

According to Kentucky Pop-Ups’s website, Stepp created her company in 2022 to curate an affordable space for Kentucky crafters to showcase their creations to the public. With big corporations dominating today’s markets, placing focus on small businesses is important to her, said Stepp.

“I think I can say that we’re (the crafters) all a small business together and they have appreciated that they have a regular pop-up so that they can get their name out there and they build their business,” Stepp said.

The market featured a vast array of businesses, so attendees had items that were more likely to suit their interests and needs, said Stepp. 

The market was a first-time experience for some vendors, such as The Vintage Cut. The event allowed them to connect with a new batch of customers for the first time.

Kimberly Heilman, founder of The Vintage Cut, started her business in October. 2024. She said she wanted to create a space where people can purchase beginner-friendly plants for a stress-free experience.

Heilman said she is a stay-at-home mom and started The Vintage Cut as a hobby and to occupy her time with something other than taking care of her children. 

“That’s the goal, it’s just to give people an opportunity to have something cute, but also hardy that can either begin their collection or extend (it) and won’t die in a week,” Heilman said. By creating a business that appeals to her, she can connect more with her products and her customers. 

The market attracted local customers interested in handmade goods, such as Edie Moon, who recently moved to Lexington after living in Seoul, South Korea for 40 years.

Moon is a teacher and said she attends events highlighting small businesses and independent artists to help improve their business while also showcasing their art.

“I meet a lot of teachers who have to have a second job to support their job in teaching,” Moon said. “I’ve had great conversations with these teachers who are creating art on the side and selling them at these events.”

Tiffany Harvey, an attendee, said she went to the market with her date to enjoy the Valentine’s Day season. She said this was her first time at the market and appreciated how many vendors catered to her interests.

Harvey, who is a tattoo artist and painter, was supporting other local artists while at the market.

“I think that it (the market) is really needed because we’re so big into the ‘big corps’ that I like that people are putting themselves out there,” Harvey said. “So I think it’s amazing.”

The market offered spaces for various types of artists, ranging from hand-painted artwork and handmade pottery. 

Perpetual Pottery, created by Grant Bradley, is a local handmade pottery company that offers different products ranging from mugs to oil bottles. He uses locally sourced clay and glaze to create his “functional and decorative pottery”.

Bradley said he started his business after taking pottery classes with his nephew three years ago and has enjoyed creating ever since. He said this was his first time at the market and having a space to sell his art is key to connecting with people and creating a better business. 

“It’s pretty essential (the market) starting out because obviously when you’re just starting out, you can’t afford a brick-and-mortar location,” Bradley said. “So getting your foot in the door with a small retail space like this, I think is essential.”