Barbara Cowles collection on Shop One

Shop One was a retail craft outlet located in a remodeled carriage house at 77 Troup Street, Rochester, New York. This shop was established by three professors from the School for American Craftsmen at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York. Metalsmith John Prip, cabinet maker Tage Frid and ceramist Frans Wildenhain recognized the need for a retail outlet for their work - a shop they could control, but one that did not demand much individual attention. This initial group was later joined by metalsmith Ronald Pearson, a former student of the School for American Craftsmen.

As professors, their time was divided between teaching and producing work, limiting opportunities to sell their work. Shop One provided the best solution to their predicament. Wildenhain acted as a mentor in this endeavor; he had previous experience building and maintaining a small business.

Shop One was the only retail outlet in the Rochester area that exclusively sold handwork. Once the shop was underway, local craftsmen were invited to become associate members. Some of these craftsmen were nationally recognized in their field, such as metalsmith Hans Christiansen. Those represented in Shop One were among the best craftsmen in the Rochester area.

Shop One integrated characteristics of an elegant apartment into a gallery setting. In this environment customers were able to visualize these unique objects in their own homes. Prip, Pearson, Frid and Wildenhain hoped this would establish a connection between object, maker and customer.

One of the rooms in Shop One housed jewelry and raised silver, most of which was produced by Ronald Pearson and John Prip. Due to the large quantity of custom jewelry work, they established a studio in the same building, making them more accessible to customers, yet independent of the store. Prip and Pearson designed their jewelry to maintain a steady turnover. Merchandise that did not sell in Shop One was sold to out-of-town stores.

Shop One opened in 1952 and remained in business until 1976.

Barabra Cowles was the manager of Shop One from 1970-1975. She was married to potter Hobart Cowles a professor at RIT. Barbara Cowles is also a published author.