Berwyn Sprout — Local services in Berwyn

So I was apart of the Sprout project so my review is based on that experience. So in the beginning everyone at the BDC make it seem like they Support you but you but they don't. Once your in its hard to get in contact with them they lady Kendra who deals with the vendors never answer the phone or emails I mean never! To apply for Sprout they tell you a lie and say it's 25.00 for your business license and they will file it for you with the city of berwyn . When I tried to obtain my business license they told me oh its not and actual license the paper receipt is my proof like wow so I gave you my tax id and ssn just to have and free 25.00. Second the booth rent at Sprout is 200 which is fine and affordable but get ready to feel like it's a second job where your not getting paid. So you have to work free 15 hours a month 5 hour shifts that's in the contact. And trust me they want you working being cashier checking on all 33 other vendors booths fixing anything thats out of place ,cleaning bathrooms taking out Garbage vacuuming the whole nine. Not to mention that they never pay you your payout on time they don't even communicate with you and let you know it's a delay with getting your money nothing . Then the managers that work for Sprout who actually get paid to work talk to you so very rude and condescending. It's maybe two decent managers there but you will definitely feel a certain type of way after dealing with them. I told one manager that I haven't received my payout from dprout yet so until then I'm not going to do my volunteer hours he told me that I didn't have a choice and I have to do my hours regardless and then said well how much is your payout is going to make or break you and that he doesn't know how to handle people calling off. It wasn't even about the money it was the principal for me and i paid my rent on time and if it was the other way around they would be after me there rent money. I let people know at the BDC about my experience they said oh sorry you experience that and that was all. And last being African American in this environment you definitely felt some different racial culture treatment. Anyway there is another place called antiquities mall who has the same concept but cheaper and you don't have to do no volunteer hours it's 100 for rent and you keep your profits and the flea market is the same you pay your sellers fee you work your booth and you follow your own rules to your business not someone else's. So think long and hard before you go this route it may work for you but it definitely didn't work for me and nobody shared there we experience and there where some vendors who left Sprout before there 3 month contract was up and I know they probably just didn't want to take out the time to share but I definitely wanted to be a sure someone heard Me since the BDC never cared to...

It was a fine store BEFORE my encounter with a worker|vender.

Before I had entered the store, my friend and I had shopped at Marshall’s. Shopping at Marshall's before entering the store, we encountered an issue with a security tag left on an item of underwear. We did not think much of it after, but we obviously didn’t take it off.

When we entered the store (Sprout), we didn’t buy anything and wanted to check it out ONLY before they closed.

Despite having receipts to verify our purchases (Marshall), the detector went off due to the tag, causing understandable concern.

However, what followed was deeply uncomfortable—a worker following us into another store, taking pictures, and misleadingly DENYING their actions when confronted. This behavior was not only invasive but also dishonest, exacerbating the discomfort caused by the initial misunderstanding.

Once again, she followed my friend and I into a pet store, assuming we were stealing and subsequently took pictures. I had seen her phone and the snap noise louder once leaving the pet store. She was a vendor there, quote on quote pet stuff for her business. The experience was distressing as it implied mistrust without cause. Despite not having stolen anything, the presumption was uncomfortable and invasive, affecting our overall visit. Such assumptions can be damaging and should be approached with sensitivity and respect for individuals’ privacy and innocence until...

So many artists, so much to see.

There’s over 30 individual artists from Berwyn there. I saw custom soaps, statues, trinkets, jewelry, candles, there was even a bird vendor that’s old bird seeds.

The store is all run by volunteer artists. So each artist in the store volunteers a few hours every month. So the purple in the store run a stand. It was so nice to be able to meet some of the artist and say hello. I can’t wait to come back. Really really unique gift shop. Glad to support local business. I bought a hello kitty wallet...