Leela Hoehn, owner of Funhouse, announced on social media on Jan. 5 that the shop would be closing its doors at the end of January. All products in the shop, located at 1296 Jones St., are 30% off until sold out.
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“It’s with many mixed emotions that we announce we’re closing the Funhouse shop by the end of January,” Hoehn’s post began. “When we opened Funhouse, we had a vision of lots of in-person events, workshops and some retail. With the virus still going strong and events being sketchy, that vision got morphed into focusing on the retail part.”
Funhouse has been the working base for Hoehn’s paper goods company, The Rainbow Vision, and those products, thrifted clothing, jewelry and other items have been for sale at the storefront.
“It’s hard letting go of something that I still really like. I like the concept of Funhouse, the whole vision,” Hoehn said. “I definitely needed to see this idea through, and I’m glad I did. I’ve met so many great people through opening Funhouse that I wouldn’t have connected with otherwise, and that has been the best part.”
Leela Hoehn and her husband, John Robinson, are both creators themselves, and Hoehn said they’ll maintain the building as a working space for their art. It will still serve as the headquarters for The Rainbow Vision.
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“While I’m relieved to have some more free time for making my own art, I will definitely miss seeing folks regularly. Making connections is what it’s all about,” she said.
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Helen Bradberry, who works at Funhouse, said The Rainbow Vision is very healthy, and Christmas was a hectic time for shipping out orders.
Hoehn said there is still a possibility of having pop-ups and small events in the future, but that will be down the road, if it happens at all.
Tyler Strong is the Business Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at tyler@theaugustapress.com
