In the six months since they moved their Poet and/the Bench lifestyle store and jewelry atelier from Locust Ave. to 11 Throckmorton Ave. in downtown Mill Valley, Jeffrey Levin and Bonnie Powers have fed off the spike in foot traffic brought on by the move.

For them, that’s meant using there gorgeous space formerly occupied by Bossa Nova Clothing on the Throckmorton end of El Paseo Lane to showcase artists that inspire them. They hosted a packed house for a reading by naturalist and author Obi Kauffmann earlier this month, and even threw a Cinco de Mayo showcase including the creative business neighbors. And in the midst of all that activity, they won the “Best Gifts” category in Marin Magazine’s 2019 Best of County issue.

Now they’re hosting another arts-centric event  on what is quite likely Mill Valley’s most artistic weekend of the year, with the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival set for Sept. 14-15 in Old Mill Park. Poet and/the Bench’s Group Artist Reception & Trunk Show is Saturday, Sept. 14, 2-4pm, featuring painters Jeffrey Palladini and Laura Roebuck, pop art sculpture artist Austyn Taylor (in town for the Varda Artists Residency in Sausalito) and jewelry designer Mariella Pilato (in town from Bali).

They’re also sharing the love, highlighting Richard Habib, their “neighbor in the lane,” and his Alexander’s Artisan Rugs‘ shop anniversary party with live and DJ music at 1 El Paseo Lane.

The 411: Poet and/the Bench is at 11 Throckmorton Ave. MORE INFO.

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