How Jerrold Hewson Built Revival Art Store in Hamilton: Art, Business & Community

Podcast: Local Grit – Hamilton Small Business Stories
Guest: Jerrold Hewson, Founder of Revival Art Store

Starting a creative business is rarely straightforward — especially when it’s built around community, art, and purpose. In this episode of Local Grit, a Hamilton-based small business podcast, host Alex Hobcraft speaks with artist and entrepreneur Jerrold Hewson about building Revival Art Store, a community-focused art supply shop, café, and creative hub in Hamilton, Ontario.

Jerrold shares how adversity shaped his entrepreneurial path, why Hamilton needed a space like Revival, and what it really takes to launch and sustain a creative business rooted in neighbourhood connection.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

This conversation offers valuable insights for artists, creatives, and anyone interested in starting a community-driven business in Hamilton. Topics include:

• How Revival Art Store came to life

• The challenges of opening a creative retail business in Hamilton

• Combining art supplies, café culture, and community programming

• Marketing a neighbourhood business through authenticity and relationships

• Lessons for artists considering entrepreneurship

Why Revival Art Store Started in Hamilton

Jerrold explains that Revival Art Store was born from both personal experience and a gap in Hamilton’s creative ecosystem. After a life-altering accident and the closure of a long-standing art supply store in the city, he saw an opportunity to create something new — a space that supports artists while serving the broader community.

Hamilton’s strong arts culture and neighbourhood identity made it the ideal place to launch a business built around creativity, accessibility, and local connection.

Challenges of Opening a Creative Business in Hamilton

Opening a creative retail business comes with unique challenges. Jerrold discusses issues many Hamilton entrepreneurs will recognize, including:

• Balancing artistic vision with financial sustainability

• Managing startup costs and overhead

• Finding the right location and space

• Navigating risk in a passion-driven business

His experience highlights the importance of planning, adaptability, and long-term thinking — especially in creative entrepreneurship.

A Business Model Built on Art, Café & Community

Revival Art Store isn’t just an art supply shop. Jerrold designed the business as a multi-purpose creative hub, blending retail with a café space and community programming.

In this episode, he shares:

• Why community workshops matter

• How in-store experiences build loyalty

• The role of conversation and connection in retail

• Why supporting other artists strengthens the business

This model reflects a broader trend in Hamilton toward experiential, neighbourhood-based businesses.

Marketing & Community Engagement for Creative Businesses

Rather than relying heavily on traditional advertising, Revival Art Store has grown through grassroots marketing and community engagement.

Jerrold talks about:

• Word-of-mouth growth

• Building relationships with local artists

• Showing up consistently for the community

• Letting values drive the brand

These lessons apply to any small business looking to grow authentically in Hamilton.

Advice for Artists Becoming Entrepreneurs

For artists considering entrepreneurship, Jerrold offers grounded advice:

• Plan carefully, even when following passion

• Understand your numbers early

• Build community before chasing scale

• Stay flexible and open to evolution

His story shows that creativity and business discipline don’t have to be at odds.

Episode Chapters & Highlights

• 00:00 From Adversity to Opportunity: The Birth of Revival Art Store

  02:54 Creative Disruption: Redefining Art and Community

  05:51 Building a Creative Hub: The Vision for Revival Art Store

  08:59 Navigating Challenges: The Journey of Opening a Cafe

  11:57 Marketing and Networking: Grassroots Strategies for Success

  15:01 Fostering Creativity: Life Drawing and Paint & Sip Nights

  17:49 Overcoming Art Scars: Encouraging New Artists

  20:48 Sustainable Choices: Balancing Quality and Affordability

  23:39 Diversifying Income: A Sustainable Business Model

  26:45 Lessons Learned: Persistence in the Art World

  29:51 Future Aspirations: A Creative Legacy for the Next Generation

About the Guest: Jerrold Hewson

Jerrold Hewson is an artist and entrepreneur based in Hamilton, Ontario, and the founder of Revival Art Store — a community art supply shop and creative space designed to support local artists and neighbourhood connection. His work blends creativity, resilience, and thoughtful business planning.

Listen to the Full Episode

🎧 Available on all major podcast platforms

Related Local Grit Episodes & Resources

• Starting & Growing a Small Business in Hamilton

• How Community-Driven Businesses Succeed in Hamilton coming soon!

• Marketing for Independent Retail Businesses coming soon!