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Curious about Grist at the Mill? Read on (9 photos)

Something authentic is underway at the the Machine Shop at Mill Square. That's the idea behind Grist at the Mill, a three-day collaboration that kicked off yesterday.

Something authentic is underway at the the Machine Shop at Mill Square.

That's the idea behind Grist at the Mill, a three-day collaboration that kicked off yesterday.

Roughly 20 world-class craftspeople and artisans - makers of leather goods, food, hats fashioned from beaver pelt - are gathered in Sault Ste. Marie, where they will be meeting and working with locals with similar pursuits.

The intended outcome?

“Anywhere from inspiring locals to believe they can do what these (world-class artisans) are doing successfully in the States, all the way to business partnerships,” said Glen Martin, one of the event’s driving forces.

Martin, a Sault Ste. Marie native and founder of L.A.-based smart grid outfit Energizing Co., said he was inspired to pursue Grist at the Mill after witnessing the ongoing transformation of the former St. Marys Paper site by developer Justus Veldman, who is also one of the event’s key organizers.

Developments like Mill Square work best when they are done collaboratively, said Martin, and that’s what he hopes to foster among local artisans with Grist at the Mill.

Already, he said, there has been some success.

Those who have come - people like leather jacket maker David Himel of Himel Bros. Vintage Leather, George Vlagos of Chicago’s Oak Street Bootmakers - are part of a movement that Martin’s business partner in Energizing Co., Urs Baur, says is bent on a return to “authenticity.”

“We’ve kind of lost that as a generation,” said Baur, noting many of these same artisans are part of the ‘maker movement’ in the U.S.

Superior Skills, a sewing program for people on Ontario Works that began last month in partnership with Mill Square’s Destination North, is seen as a possible fit for some of these North American artisans who have come to Grist at the Mill.

Local invitees to the event include craft brewers, local coffee roasters, experts in leatherwork and Anishinabe beadwork.

Baur said Grist organizers hope to create an opportunity for these craftspeople to collaborate both with the outside artisans and each other in creating small local industry.

“Someone may be very good at creating something but not as good at marketing,” said Baur.

He said he hopes to see the Grist model used in other communities.

Grist at the Mill is a side project for Martin and Baur, whose primary focus is on the energy industry and smart energy infrastructure.

Energizing Co. is currently working to develop a ‘utility distributed microgrid’ project in Sault Ste. Marie that Martin calls the first and most important of such undertakings for the company.

Martin, who was involved in bringing a massive solar energy project to the city through Pod Generating Group, said the Sault is a “natural laboratory” when it comes to energy.

“There is no other city in North America like it in terms of the mix of energy sources,” he said.

 

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Mike Purvis

About the Author: Mike Purvis

Michael Purvis is a writer, photographer and editor. He serves as managing editor of Village Media
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