DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PROFILE: ELSAGE DEsigns
The elSage story begins in 2009 at the kitchen table of Phoebe Carpenter Eells. Phoebe rediscovered linocut printmaking when she decided to create her own invitations for her eldest son’s first birthday celebration. Within a few months, she went from creating art prints for her own home to developing a side hustle to supplement her full-time occupation as a middle school teacher. She began offering prints online via Etsy and Instagram, eventually expanding into screen-printing on clothing.
In 2012, Phoebe took a leap of faith, and resigned from teaching to pursue her art as a full-time occupation. Working from her home, she began selling her products at the Mount Vernon Farmers Market in the summer of 2012. Her products were very well-received, and within the next few years, she began developing a string of wholesale clients, which now stretch the length of the west coast and even includes a location in Southern Maine. In 2014, Phoebe’s husband, Jonathan, also left his teaching position to work full time in the business. In 2016, they took another leap of faith, opening a brick-and-mortar location in our downtown, providing a year-round retail outlet of their own, as well as moving production facilities out of their home.
In 2017, Phoebe organized a group of other local artisans and vendors to create a pop-up market in front of their store to celebrate their first anniversary as a brick-and-mortar business. The celebration was so well received that in 2018, Valley Made Market Pop-Ups were offered monthly from May through September, and again on the Winter Solstice, December 21. In this way, Phoebe and her company foster up-and-coming small creative businesses, paying it forward while bringing fresh excitement to our district.
Because we know that Phoebe and Jonathan are full of passion, talent and entrepreneurial spirit, we eagerly anticipate the next development in the elSage story!
elSage is located at 110 N 1st St, Suite A, Mount Vernon, WA 98273, follow them on facebook and instagram.
