It Happens Here: Norwood's 200-year-old Winsmith Mill now a special shopping center
NORWOOD - Norwood may be best known for the Route 1 Automile, first made famous by Ernie Boch senior's catchy commercials. But cars aren't the only thing to shop for in Norwood. You can buy just about anything at the Winsmith Mill.
Brittany Carter and Tara Lyon operate Shiplap and Chandeliers and Out of the Closet, two eclectic marketplaces with more than 100 vendors. Shoppers can find anything from antique furniture to vintage clothing and local homemade goods.
"Everyone is kind of buying and selling and restyling right now. The older things are higher quality," Carter told WBZ-TV.
The pair is giving new life to a more than 200-year-old space. The mill was originally a tannery and manufactured bomber jackets during World War II. These days, it's home to weekly workshops on furniture painting, jewelry making and more.
"The reason why I think it's important for the community is because it shows how much talent, creativity, responsibility goes into running your own business. Even if someone in here has a small space, it takes so much work to man the 10-by-10 space. We couldn't man this store without our vendors. They are the true difference, and the community comes in and they love it," Carter said.
On the top floor, you can find local businesses like Dina K Photography.
"The light, that's my number one. The open space, the ceilings create the energy and flow that keeps me creative and of course the community and being around other artists and funky shops definitely is inspiring," Konovalov explained to WBZ.
Konovalov has photographed local celebrities like Tom Brady and Julian Edelman. Her studio sits on the top floor with other lofts reserved just for local artists.
"The whole vibe is creative and artistic and that's important to me," she said.
From the top floor to underground, visitors can also check out The Fall Out Shelter, a professional recording studio with room for an 80-person audience. Bill Hurley took over the space seven years ago, transforming it from a flood tank to a music venue.
"It is sort of a fallout shelter. It's a refuge from the noise that goes on outside every single day. I think it's super important for the town of Norwood to have a place like this that was in disrepair for a lot of years and what they're doing with it now is special in this area for sure," Hurley told WBZ.
The mill is open Fridays through Sundays. You can sign up for classes and workshops during the week at shiplap-chandeliers.com.
