Stop in on December 12 for a holiday happy hour and make a festive paper popper craft
Casey Berry opened The Paper Canopy on Spring Street last summer, where she offers workshops and creative meet-ups.
As a self-described “creative cheerleader,” The Paper Canopy owner Casey Berry is a firm believer in the power of crafting. While earning her degree in art history from College of Charleston, she studied in Italy and found her passion for paper during a bookbinding class. Twelve years after graduating, Berry returned to Charleston, where she discovered an untapped opportunity to create a “crafty haven.” “There’s a vibrant fine art community here, and I wanted to expand art as a playful, enjoyable adventure and avenue, for it to not be so serious,” she says. “Creativity can be anything. Gift wrap counts! Gardening counts!”
After a year of doing pop-ups, Berry found a storefront in Cannonborough/Elliotborough, amid an abundance of small businesses helmed by female entrepreneurs. “Doing pop-ups, you have your customer right in front of you, and it’s a direct line of communication,” she says. “I got so much great feedback before I even bought the store.”
The Paper Canopy opened its doors in August 2023, offering paper goods, stationery products, and crafting supplies. Wanting to promote other makers, Berry drew from a list of vendors from her time working at a paper shop in Colorado, as well as local artists. Many place an emphasis on sustainability, such as Kendall’s Kandles, a Charleston-based company that uses upcycled wax from the wedding industry. “When you own a business, your environmental impact really grows,” says Berry. “I try to seek out like-minded people who want to be good stewards of our planet.”
Stop in on December 12 for a holiday happy hour and make a festive paper popper craft.
In keeping with the idea of art being playful, the space features a bar where customers can create custom wax seals, gift-wrapping and stationery services, and a vintage vending machine filled with mini art prints for $2 each. After hours, Berry transforms the store into a workshop for “crafting and getting messy,” inviting artists to guide participants through classes ranging from crochet and collage to stamp-carving and leather-working. “People feel welcome and inspired walking through my door, and that’s a huge success for me,” says Berry. “My mission in life is to help people believe that everyone is creative.”
With a successful first year under her belt and workshops that often sell out, Berry feels optimistic. “So much of what I want to put out into the world is helping people connect with themselves or others,” she says. “Sometimes I get bogged down in the stress of a small business, but people’s kind words when they’re in my space resets me. I’m really proud of myself for giving 110 percent to this.”
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