By Al Urbanski | Published by ChainStoreAge.com

Easton Town Center in Columbus has been known to invite kids to do chalk drawings on its streets. Now parents can take photos of their children’s masterpieces and have them preserved by the latest business to inhabit Easton’s Shop/LAB.

Artkive, provides a shipping kit to customers to send in their stacks of artwork, then professionally photographs each piece to create a keepsake book or custom-framed mosaic print. The space features digital screens on the interior and exterior, showcasing the retailer’s brand messaging and videos.

The 528-sq.-ft. Shop/LAB, which resides on the central floor of The Station, Easton’s light and airy version of an enclosed mall, is reserved for online brands looking to create brick-and-mortar presences, as well as retail brands that want to expand into the central Ohio region.

“We seek the most promising retail concepts to fill our rotating Shop/LAB space,” said Anne Mastin, executive VP of retail real estate for Steiner + Associates. “We pride ourselves on being a destination for families to create cherished memories, so Artkive is truly a natural fit for the town center and our customers.”