There's No Place Like Home: Common Room Returns to Katipunan
They've been greatly missed.
(SPOT.ph) We all remember the makers’ haven Common Room and their very first store at Katipunan Avenue, which opened back in 2015. It was the first of its kind, a collaborative hub of different local crafters and artists, a space for workshops, and with its sunny front entrance complete with a swing—a fun spot to hang out with friends after school or on weekends. The creative space eventually opened more branches around Metro Manila and all was fine until the pandemic took its toll and the original Katipunan branch of Common Room had to close in mid-2020. But here’s good news: Common Room is now back in Katipunan at their recently opened branch at the UP Town Center!
SPOT.ph chatted with Common Room co-founder Roma Agsunod about her memories of their first branch and her experiences in revamping the new UPTC branch.
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On memories of Common Room in Katipunan.
Roma, together with sister Maan Agsalud founded Pop Junk Love, a brand of funky plushies and accessories, back in 1997; and after years of participating in bazaars, decided to look for a permanent space. “For Pop Junk Love, we saw this space in Katipunan, but we thought it was too big for us,” Roma recalls. “And then we thought, why don’t we share this lease with other crafters and artists? Because we all had this problem of finding a fixed space.”
This idea started a shared space between 33 local artists who first took a leap of faith in a new retail concept that eventually led to an expansion of multiple branches around the Metro, including Power Plant Mall, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, and a pop-up at SM Aura.
But then the pandemic struck in 2020, and like most small-scale businesses, Common Room was affected and had to close its Katipunan branch. “Closing the first store was really a difficult decision for all of us, but we knew it was something we had to do to keep our other stores open,” Roma relates. “Parang siya ang naging sacrificial lamb for us. Also, we needed a new space where we can house our lines and inventory, and also to open a studio space for our online channels, which are our website and YouTube channel.”
When one door closes, another door opens.
Roma says that at first, returning to Katipunan wasn’t yet possible as they were still recovering from the pandemic, and then an opportunity that echoed the old adage of “when one door closes, another door opens” happened.
“DTI’s Go Lokal! approached Ayala Malls UP Town Center for a possible space, and this made the dream of Common Room returning to Katipunan more feasible,” Roma shares. “So, this is a tripartite partnership—Go Lokal! negotiated with Ayala Malls, UP Town Center agreed, and Common Room is now bringing in the market.”
Bigger opportunities for all.
This is not their first collaboration with Go Lokal!, as they also co-partnered in Common Room’s outpost in Pasay City; but this new collab in UP Town Center is their biggest, yet. The spacious, brightly lit store with its signature light pink palette is a veritable shopper’s paradise, and you don’t have to be a crafting enthusiast to enjoy it.
Areas in the store are neatly divided into “Arts and Crafts,” “Home and Wellness”, and “Food and Health”. Collections include items from Common Room constants such as Ella Lama, garden guy Studio Habil, fragrance mavens Simoy ng Haraya, and of course, plushies from Pop Junk Love.
Still left to be discovered in the space are hundreds of products to choose from: dainty accessories from Pulseras by Kim, cute Izzo Shop face masks, home accessories from Thread Story, and all the stickers you would want from Cara, Sapin Sapin Tansan, Mako Micropress, Howler Supply, just to name a few. “This branch carries more brands compared to the other branches…and this is only one-third of the suppliers—we can bring in so much more!” Roma exclaims.
It's no longer just a crafter's paradise.
Another new category of products at Common Room includes food under DTI’s Go Lokal! Take your pick from local artisanal coffee blends, sweets, mango and coconut chips, pickled fruits, native vinegar and seasonings, and other edible pasalubong. “We’re so happy it’s being received well, because not only do we have students [at this branch], we also have families who go here now,” Roma says. “And the healthy snacks are very great alternatives for the students.”
Other products that Go Lokal! have brought in include Philippine weaves, home décor items, hand-carved wooden accessories, and pieces from their work-from-home Silid line, which are exclusive to the UP Town Center branch. Items from the recent DTI pop-up in the Dubai World Expo are also sold here. “DTI funded the design and production of these collections,…we already have a rich craft industry in the Philippines, and for DTI to see what young makers can contribute to this industry is like a breath of fresh air.”
More room for Common Room
When asked about their future projects, Roma remains optimistic, but also cautious; weighing in plans and decisions based on lessons learned during the pandemic. “Right now, we are focusing on our studio space; hopefully we can open up this studio to visitors and also have a permanent space. Our thrust during the pandemic was to pivot. So, we really want to strengthen other channels, as we cannot rely on one source of income from our physical stores.”
But the creative one-stop-shop continues to thrive in all of its branches. “We knew they liked the vibe of our Katipunan space, so in our [new UP Town Center branch], they still see the heart and spirit of Common Room,” Roma says. “And we’re really happy to bring in more makers, artists, and small businesses.”
DTI Go Lokal! X Common Room is at the 2/F Cinema Building (Phase 2) UP Town Center, Quezon City. For more information, visit their website or Common Room's Instagram page.