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Gathering of creative minds hits one-year mark

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Tucked into an A-frame cottage on Glenneyre Street in Laguna Beach is a business that feels like a home run by entrepreneurs who seem like a family.

Dream catchers sway amid lovingly preserved items from decades ago, all hinting at the unexpected finds at Sourced: A California Collective.

Inside the blue-shingled house is a network of like-minded creative souls who are growing individual businesses that touch on interior, fashion and event design. Sourced, which opened last August, is celebrating its one-year anniversary and making plans for the future.

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“It’s continually evolving,” said collectibles extraordinaire Rachiel Macalistaire, who stocks her part of the store with an assortment of vintage furnishings, accent pieces and art. “This is going to be more about change and evolution.”

When Macalistaire, who was running Macalistaire at 1850 in South Laguna, first met Michelle Mercado — who would become Sourced’s founder and creative director — the two found that they shared a common interest in visiting flea markets and garage sales. Mercado decided she wanted to create a company housing the best vendors in the business.

Mercado, who had years of experience in event planning, was drawn to the Glenneyre building, not to sell anything but to promote other artists. She handles store events, including workshops, and does marketing.

Macalistaire rents space for her vintage items.

Located within Laguna Beach’s HIP, or Historic and Interesting Places, District, the collection of retail and design work spaces is surrounded by a similarly eclectic mix of neighboring shops. Before Laguna Beach had its current downtown, businesses collected around Bluebird Canyon Drive and South Coast Highway.

The historic area was recently reborn as a business district with art galleries, apparel stores and several coffee shops. Scattered throughout the district are some of Laguna’s earliest buildings, including the Hotel La Casa del Camino, The Old Pottery Place and The English Garden.

The origins of Sourced can be traced back four years, when CCH Design leased the building on Glenneyre. Principle designer Cindy Holloway and assistant designer Vanessa Holliday colored the white walls and installed reclaimed wood flooring from old barns. But they started finding themselves increasing serving clients in Santa Barbara. So they decided to rent out space at the Laguna Beach site to another creative team.

Now, CCH uses a portion of Sourced for its ReDeux Studio, which also specializes in interior design.

One of the creative minds making use of the setup at Sourced is photographer Stephen Orlick.

“This is just an amazing and creative place to be,” Orlick said. “We throw ideas out to each other and it just feels really comfortable to be here.”

“Stephen was the first guy to move in here and now we’re like, ‘Why didn’t we get Stephen in here earlier?” Mercado said.

The shop’s mission is to help creative entrepreneurs by offering space so they can have a business address to meet clients and showcase what they can do.

Mercado said she and Macalistaire sought out people who would be a good fit.

“The space’s vibe is already set so you instantly get an impression,” said Mercado. “We want to see if they’re excited and learn their work style and if they’re filling a niche,” she added. “It’s like roommates.”

Today, the collective includes event floral business Floral Fete, owned and operated by Laguna Beach resident Yoshi O’Connor. The former owner of Laguna Flower Co. left her position as florist to become a paralegal but learned after six years that she wanted to return to her true passion — flowers. O’Connor now hosts floral demonstrations for would-be arrangers.

She and her childhood friend of 30 years, Rebecca Judy, have neighboring workspaces, with Judy focusing on documentary travel photography and graphic design.

“We landed where we wanted to be,” O’Connor said.

Other creative types include graphic designer and calligrapher Christina Annalisa and illustrator and designer Kimberly Malachowski, who teaches watercolor workshops. Jewelry designer Yvonne Sturgeon is a retail curator who sells bracelets, necklaces and rings.

“Being in a creative space is great,” said Holliday, who works on custom residential and yacht projects. “Everything is always changing and it helps me create. It’s been a great partnership.”

The members of the collective said they are noticing more regular customers popping in to see how people are doing. Clients are signing up for workshops and booking the space for engagement parties and bridal showers too.

Mercado said that to keep one another accountable, the members hold a collective brainstorm every Monday night to discuss how projects, events and businesses are coming along.

“I’ve always felt that when people are happy, the more creative opportunities happen,” she said.

The collective will celebrate its anniversary with a free event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at 950 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach.

If You Go

What: Sourced: A California Collective

Where: 950 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, and by appointment only Sundays

Information: (949) 715-1328 or sourcedcollective.com

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