Grand St., the creative technology marketplace that has been called the Etsy of electronics, today announced that Etsy has formally offered to buy their company. However, as both parties have explicitly noted, the deal is still subject to closing conditions before it’s finalized.
As the team at Grand St. has admitted, the acquisition is a big step for them. As big as it is though, they’re not planning on changing much about their site and the user experience end of things; they will still exist with the express purpose of bringing you the best in hand-tested, indie electronics.
“As you may know, Etsy is an amazing company for handmade goods and a true pioneer in both marketplace development and the maker movement,” reads the Grand St. blog post. “Simply put: the rise of the individual, small-batch maker is changing product development, production and commerce. Etsy knows this and everything they do is designed to welcome this shift and embrace it.”
In addition to maintaining their indie electronic excellence, the crew at Grand St. will join Etsy but continue to operate the Grand St. marketplace for the time being. Amanda Peyton, Joe Lallouz, and Aaron Henshaw have continually worked to enable small designers and maker teams to find a legitmate path to market, and they’re excited to be working with Etsy to further their progress in that field.
“What unites Etsy and Grand St. is a shared vision of the way making is changing,” reads Etsy’s announcement.
In a world that has made it easier and easier for independent makers and designers to bring ideas to market, Grand St. and Etsy are sure to make some magic happen together as they walk into the future together.