essential shopping
hive OF MADISON by DAVE FIDLIN There’s been quite a bit of buzz in recent years about the future viability of brick-and-mortar retail as online shopping grows in popularity. But Pam Schwarzbach, who co-owns Hive of Madison, says a store’s physical presence is still vitally important—particularly when it establishes roots and becomes entrenched within a community. Pam and her husband, Troy Kattreh, opened Hive of Madison in a 1,700-square-foot retail space on Monroe Street. Since opening the doors a year and a half ago, Pam and her husband have become a part of the community and have further plans for their growing business on the horizon. “We’re focused, and we believe in brick and mortar,” Pam says. “We’re really not focused on the web. You can’t really have an interaction with a customer online.” Her philosophy has been effective, as Hive has brought a beeline of people into the shop from 34 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s
the immediate neighborhood and the broader Madison community. Hive, which employs 10 people, laid roots on November 15, 2017. The timing, arguably, could have been challenging because of road construction. Despite the challenging headwinds, Pam says the community was very supportive during the months of construction. When it came time to finding a location to open the shop, Pam and Troy were sold on the Monroe Street corridor, which has long been known for its pedestrianfriendly, locally focused culture. “This was such a cool location, and it just felt empty,” Pam says, referring to the state of the building prior to Hive’s occupancy. Because of the road construction, Pam and Troy dipped their toes into the local retail pond throughout 2018. They credit word of mouth as part of the reason for the positive momentum that