-ˋˏ About the Owner ˎˊ-

Hi! I'm Zip, your local faerie shopkeeper & owner of Grove Galleria. I am a Florida native and have been an artist + vendor since I was a young teen. From selling my paintings & jewelry at fundraisers down in Homestead to helping my mother sell at her flea market barn in Fruitland Park, I have always had a sharp eye for beautiful colors, things, and people. I moved to Gainesville in the fall of 2010 and soon began my pop-up small business venture under the name Zipporah Sky Art. I traveled a bunch and began collecting handmade items and antiques from around the world~ including Egypt, Bahrain, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil & more. I always kept Gainesville as my homebase to share my collected wares & art. I eventually graduated from the Florida School of Massage in 2013, so I was also able to offer chair massage as well as free tea from my other small business, Communitea Service.

In 2015, I became a mother and soon realized pop-ups were not so worthwhile as a single mom; juggling set up, childcare, and making more art in general was a struggle. I began to reach out to local shops trying to get my art displayed. Let's just say rejection is the best redirection and to never give up on your dream~ With the help of friends and a lot of work-trade with the building's owner, I was finally able to open up my first store in a warehouse in the Grove Street Neighborhood in 2023. Wanting to create opportunities for others like myself, I reached out to the other local movers & makers that I admired. And here we are now, forming a sustainable all-things creative community in my new shop space that is directly off NW 8th Ave. We have such a wide variety of items it is certainly like a treasure hunt with something for everyone, sourced from amazing “sourcerers” as I like to call them~ Once I get more established, I will be offering art studio space plus more collaborative events & classes from what I call the Grove Guild.

Thanks for reading and supporting small businesses!