From vape shop to art gallery: Downtown Fergus business owner tries something different

FERGUS – A new gallery dedicated to local artists has opened its doors in Downtown Fergus.

Local Pieces Gallery, located at 126 St. Andrew St. near the St. David Street intersection, held a grand opening Thursday afternoon. 

The gallery will host a rotating series of different local artists from jewellers, painters and everything in between. 

The move is seemingly a big pivot for owner Luke Marshall, who previously ran a vape shop out of the storefront. 

Marshall explained in an interview it’s not as far-fetched as it first might sound. He has some art in the gallery but he doesn’t claim to be an artist and he’s not a natural retailer either. 

What he did a lot of as a vaping business was wholesales and promotion. 

“My job was to promote them so they can make sales right?” Marshall said. “I’m going to try to think the same way about this. I’m going to promote the artists so that they can make sales.”

Being on a main street in Fergus meant a lot of families and tourists walking right by the vape shop as it is a 19-plus business.

Thinking about how a lot of his customers were artists and how he could be part of that community, he said he came to the conclusion this gallery would complement the area better than the vape shop. 

He still operates the vape shop but  moved that business to the back of the building, with frontage facing the Grand River. 

“There’s already a gallery in Elora, but not in Fergus,” Marshall said. “A vape shop does not need this much space.”

Tony DeLuca, owner of about face jewellery, explained to those in attendance a lot of artists in the area don’t have storefront representation and therefore a space like this is helpful. 

“We only show during the studio tour or only show at outdoor events or we’re by appointment, which means we often get forgotten.” DeLuca said. “So Luke’s idea was that he would help us by giving us a space and promoting us as a group.”

Deputy mayor Neil Dunsmore thanked Marshall for making a big move, describing it as a prime example of a COVID-era pivot.

“Taking his vape shop and turning it around and not just helping yourself but helping local artists display their pieces on the main street of Fergus, nothing could be better,” Dunsmore said.

Marshall said in the future he plans to create a small studio in the space and hold events as much as he can.