After a three month closure, the storefront that was once The Joint in downtown Vallejo is now The Exchange, a “creative clubhouse” with a focus on community and crafts.

When Stephanie Brown decided to close The Joint, an artisan goods store, in December, she didn’t necessarily want to stay in downtown Vallejo. But what she heard from people in her community changed her mind.

“Somebody sort of spelled it out for me and said ‘you know, it was never about the stuff, it was about the space and the community we built there,”’ said Brown.

So, she took the positive aspects of The Joint and now hopes to infuse them into The Exchange with business partner and friend, Jennifer Laursen.

Just a month since opening, The Exchange has a calendar full of events, from leather working classes to this month’s Art Café.

The Art Café first launched last month and advertises a menu of crafts. The options are watercolor, charcoal, block printing, pastel and collage. Once guests select the crafting experience they desire from the leather-bound menu, they are brought every tool they need in a decorated wooden box.

They then craft away with complimentary coffee and tea at their disposal.

Although the idea for the Art Café first came up over a year ago, it didn’t come to fruition until very recently, says Brown. “It was kind of slapdash,” she laughs.

Despite the last-minute decision to launch the event during the March Art Walk, Brown and Laursen had everything they needed, posting videos of the craft boxes on The Exchange’s Instagram ahead of the event.

The Art Café hopes to make crafting easier for its guests, says Brown.

“A lot of times when I have an idea I’m like, ‘Oh no, I have to gather all the supplies I need and then I’ve got to clean up afterwards,’ and so the Art Cafe kind of eliminates that,” she says. “All the supplies are right there. You get them delivered to your table, you don’t have to worry about any cleanup.”

Despite their preparations and confidence in the Art Café idea, the event had just two participants at the first event in March. This time around, Brown is hoping for more engagement.

“We’re trying to make sure that we can get people to be more creative in their lives,” says Brown. “I know there are so many folks who think they’re not crafty or creative in any kind of way, but everybody is in their own manner,”

“We’re trying to build community through creativity and we’re always looking for new angles to make that happen,” she says.

The idea and structure of the Art Café is going to remain the same this month, says Brown. “I think the concept is a really strong one.”

In addition to the Art Café, The Exchange is available for day or half-day rentals, open as a workspace for those working from home who need to get out of the house and offers a membership program with exclusive events centered around connection away from technology and indulging in one’s favorite hobbies.

Art Café offers 2 seatings, 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at $29 per person. Learn more at theexchangevallejo.com

If you go …

WHAT: Art Café at Art Walk

WHEN: April 11, 5-9 p.m.

WHERE: The Exchange, 617 Marin St., Vallejo.