Boutique 208: Pop-Up of Fabulous

Do you know what's awesome about downtown Pittsburgh? Well. There are quite a few things that could be considered but, in my opinion, it is that downtown is the hub for Pop-Up Projects. I blogged before about Dream Cream Ice Cream, another Pop-Up Project, located on Liberty Ave, and now I have to talk about Boutique 208, which is right around the corner on Sixth Street.

Looking in the window at Boutique 208. (Both photos shamelessly borrowed from the Boutique 208 Facebook page.)

Boutique 208 caught my eye the minute it was finished and ready for business. It is across the street from Heinz Hall and connected to the Robot Repair Pop-Up Project, which draws a bit of attention, since no one really understands that Robot Repair is really just an art installation, not an actual store. So all this time, when you might have been roaming around downtown over the holidays or standing outside waiting for a show to start at Heinz, you were probably over-looking the most fabulous of all the Pop-Up Projects.

Bedazzled Project Pop-Up sandwich board.

Project Pop-Up, is a part of a program by Luke Ravenstahl, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Department of City Planning and Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership to bring some more life to downtown. And to be honest, each of these Pop-Ups are really something that over the course of living here, I thought would make great additions to the environment of downtown and create a more "neighborhood" feel for those of us who live here. What says neighborhood more than a cute ice cream shop, some art, a bookstore, and a fabulous little boutique? Neighbors I guess, but that's besides the point.

While I have been in Boutique 208 many times to browse, they have everything from paintings to handmade cards to baby clothes to jewelry and iPad covers, I always want to leave with one of everything. Anything that is being sold there is created by a local artist and is handmade. What? So on trend, Pittsburgh. And while some pieces seem to stay around longer than others and are becoming frequent finds, Boutique 208 boasts about how they receive new products from their artists every week and if you like something but want an even more custom design or feel to it, they can get you in contact with the artist to do just that. How fetch, Gretchen Weiners.

I mentioned Boutique 208 in my Pittsburgh Holiday Gift Guide for Her, but honestly their products are perfect for any occasion, or just as a little treat to yourself. As you can probably expect, a lot of the products are also Pittsburgh-based as well. There are cute little baby shirts that say "Made in Pittsburgh," artistic greeting cards that read in Pittsburghese (some of my favorite items) and photography of different, beautiful places around the city. So if you're a fan of buying local, up-cycling, getting inspiration for your own crafts and projects, wanting a taste of something different, looking for a place that is actually open late downtown or are really into anything handmade and beautiful, you need to check out Boutique 208. It is truly a fabulous addition to my neighborhood.