Five in One Social Club

Do you want a jewelry holder that looks like baby hands? Do you want a teeny tiny Tennessee necklace that’s not like every other one in town? DO you want to learn to make luchador masks from the most patient Alice I have ever met in my life? If you want all of these things and you also don’t mind them being all locally and regionally sourced, with a fantastic, ethical, artist-​centric model, then get your behind and your money to Five in One.
It’s rare to enter a store and not only have the owners serving you, but know that they are artists themselves. One look at the carefully organized creative chaos in the back makes that clear. They often know the artists they sell on a first name basis. It doesn’t even feel like buying gifts, it feels like adopting them.

This place is so cool! And I wish I had time to go to all of their classes!
Reason #1 I love it: It is on Broad… my new favorite street/​neighborhood/​neck of the woods/​whatever you want to call it
Reason #2 I love it: They host classes for thing I’ve always wanted to do and didn’t even know it like Build A World: Terrariums or make drinking glasses out of wine bottles or making your very own custom Mexican wrestler mask or silk marbling or using wire to create mini trees… their coolness goes on and on.
Reason #3 I love it: They have the cutest gift shop which is the perfect place to buy gifts, because they have that Memphis flare.
Reason #4 I love it: This is the perfect date night or girls night out activity… something to actually DO instead of just going to the bar.

I absolutely love Five in One. I have never been to one of their craft classes, but the items in the store are unique, funky, eclectic — everything you find in a place like this that would never be found in a chain retail store. I had to exercise serious constraint when making my purchases, but I did buy a lovely ring for myself, in addition to the piece photographed in my review. I just love it — three dimensional and a little spooky, which I really dig. I know their inventory changes often, but the items I purchased were the Babycreep line, and I really love a place that allows local artists to sell their pieces. Very friendly staff, moderately priced and in a cute location adjacent to some other unique shops (although I couldn’t tell you how to get there — I didn’t drive, therefore I have no idea what part of Memphis I was in). I’m dying to return and will soon!

Are you a crafty dude or lady? Or maybe you wish you were, but don’t know where to start? Well then Five in One is for you! They offer a ton of unique, creative classes led by a helpful staff member, usually scheduled on Saturday afternoons or Monday evenings. I’ve made a cool luchador mask and some candles thus far, and I’m signed up for for two more upcoming classes; I can’t get enough! They do a great job of presenting all the steps in a way that’s easy to understand and they’ll offer extra help if you’re struggling. But don’t forget to bring some ideas and your own creativity to the class – that’s what will take your project to the next level of awesomeness! The prices vary per project but are really fair and include all supplies and instruction.
I think this is a GREAT idea for a date or double date, as long as everyone is excited about the project and ready to listen to the instructions. A girls afternoon here can’t be beat either. Bring in a few beers or a bottle of wine from home and make it that much more entertaining.
Oh – and I can’t forget the shop! They have a ton of locally made items for sale: jewelry, candles, tshirts, dvds, books. Tons of Memphis pride to be found, and who doesn’t need a little more of that in their life?

I really like what Five in One is doing, even if it is a bit off the beaten path. The people who run it are real live artists who also operate a gallery in Binghamton. This business is a hybrid between a community craft studio space and a Made in Memphis retail store (think stickers, t-​shirts, etc.) Great place to score local goods for gifts.
They run two craft projects weekly, generally on Saturday afternoons and Monday nights. You sign up and pay a nominal fee online in advance ($ 10 — $ 25 depending on the project and needed materials). They supply what you need and show you how to make it. However, nobody is holding your hand through this process … so you might, like me, work for a while and leave with a project that isn’t quite perfect.
The hipster element is there but not as prevalent as I had anticipated, and the vibe was generally friendly. I’d recommend going as part of a group because you may need your friends to help you, and it’s nice to have someone to chat with as you work. Go have fun!

Five in One is probably one of my favorite places in all of Memphis. Not only do they offer truly unique handmade and local items, they offer awesome classes on things like screenprinting and glass etching. Michael and Alice are two of the greatest people, and they are super talented. I would really be surprised if you leave this place without buying at least one thing. Go now!

I love the Five in One (Vini) social club. It’s a great chance to work on a creative project around a group of like-​minded people. If you don’t have a project to work on, there’s usually a group project that everyone can do. In the past, they’ve taught people to make shrinky dinks, paper beads and knit scarves.
Social Club is free, but if you bring a few bucks to pitch in, you can grab some beers from the fridge.
Also — the Five in One store is open during Social Club (6 p.m. — 10 p.m. on Monday nights). They sell Memphis-​themed screen printed t-​shirts, jewelry, stuffed animals, art, cards, and all kinds of work by local artists. (The best part — everything is very reasonably priced!)