Boston has a bevy of art schools that cultivate young talents—who often leave town not long after graduation. It’s a pattern familiar to Pat Dagle and Cait Danahy, founders of local branding and design firm Blanc Agency and the Casablanc gallery/studio space. “It’s so common to have that conversation about artists leaving Boston to go to New York or LA,” Dagle says. “It’s like, how can we help this city maintain the artist population?” Part of their answer: Market at Casablanc, the new 8,000-square-foot expansion the couple opened at the end of April, unveiling a multipurpose gallery surrounded by 14 studios that double as micro-retail spaces, each with a glass-front door so visitors can peer in even when the artist or maker is elsewhere. Tucked inside 169 Norfolk Ave. in the industrial Newmarket neighborhood, it’s just downstairs from Casablanc, which also has gallery space and artist studios. But while Casablanc’s studios are private workspaces, Market is open to the public daily from noon till 6 pm. Think of it as an arty anti-mall.

“Going to Miami, going to Richmond, Virginia, we saw all these unique brick-and-mortar storefront retail opportunities for artists that were affordable, that were small, that worked as production and studio space as well as retail space,” Dagle says. “We wondered, how do we offer the same kind of vibe as this street-level retail and store ownership to these artists to build their brands while maintaining a tight-knit community that learns from each other and is actually able to sustain what they’re doing economically?”

Aiming for a more permanent take on the pop-up and seasonal markets that have allowed local artists and makers to connect directly with customers, he and Danahy have curated an eclectic crew of creators who’ll not only be producing and selling their wares, but hosting classes on topics such as silkscreening, letterpress and CNC design. They hope that rotating maker exhibits in the central gallery will likewise draw art and design fans to a space that sat abandoned for more than a decade—and a neighborhood that’s long been looked at as a possible home for an artists’ community. “We are one of two art warehouses now down here, and there’s another one popping up,” Dagle says. “To have this market situated here is sort of our kickoff to bringing more people from the South End and the Back Bay down to see what’s going on.”

Meet The Makers

The creative crew at Market includes…

– Illustrators and printmakers Silví Naçí and Gabriel Ortiz

– Internet radio station OverDog

– Illustrator Tim McCool

– Fashion photographer Mikey Janey

– Ceramicist Dave Custodio

– Mixed-media artist Greg Lookerse

– The beard tamers behind Brothers Artisan Oil

– Painter Massiel Grullon

– Footwear brand YORK Athletics Mfg.

– Video production agency The Main Idea

– Silkscreener and fabric designer Ernest Linden

– Ergonomic tool maker Ergo Kiwi

– Paige Mulhern, custom hive illustrator for the Best Bees Company

– Craft & Caro, an online purveyor of gentlemanly goods, from pocketknives to cologne inspired by Blue Ridge Mountain breezes

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PS: Market at Casablanc isn’t the only new shopping showcase for creative types. From May 6 through June 5, Barry’s Shop is popping up at 267 Western Ave. in Allston, combining studio and retail space with a grocery store vibe. Organized as part of the Harvard-launched Zone 3 initiative, Barry’s will feature local talents like visual artist Josh Falk, nail-art queen Nina Park and jewelry designer Sophie Hughes. Find the full lineup and deets on tarot readings, drawing parties and other events at zone3westernave.com.