What's in a Name?

Shop One is a contemporary fine art, craft and design gallery that opened with great fan fare in October 2010 in RIT’s Global Village. Shop One showcases work by alumni, faculty and students, as well regional artists.

Why Shop One?

The original Shop One was founded in 1953 by four craftsmen; Frans Wildenhain, Jack Prip, Tage Frid and Ron Pearson. The four men had a single vision of providing a place to sell their work. Located near the RIT campus in downtown Rochester, NY, Shop One opened with minimal fanfare.

All four craftsmen had an affiliation with RIT’s School for American Craftsmen (now The School for American Crafts). Wildenhain, Prip and Frid were all members of the faculty and Ron Pearson, a former student. The four men took a chance with a concept and opened a business to sell craftsmen’s work. A true ‘dollar and a dream’ scenario. At the time, only one other venue (America House in NYC) offered handmade work by craftsmen. It was the dawning of the Craft Movement. They successfully sold handmade goods to be used in the home for two decades.

More than three decades later, Shop One opened in Global Village on the RIT campus. Inspired by the original Shop One, and retrofitting a logo designed by Douglas Baker in the 70s, Shop One hit the art scene in 2010. We celebrate the start of our fifth year with the launch of a newly designed website and an on-line store.