Millville Means Business Profile

With retail, food, galleries and studios – Village On High’s owner Maryann Cannon says the space is more than just a collection of stores. It’s a community.

“Our owners are active on social media and they participate in many events held throughout the year,” Maryann explains. Such events could include a creative workshop, like furniture painting, a holiday celebration or an exhibition opening. “We embrace the idea of ‘it takes a village.’ We’re a village, after all,” she says.

Maryann owns the Village with her husband. She also owns and operates La Bottega of Art, her gallery and studio cottage, where she displays her work and that of other southern New Jersey artists.

Known for her paintings and etchings, Maryann was an artist from the time she could first hold a crayon. “I always had a passion for it. Turns out, my great grandmother was an artist. And her name was Maryann. Maybe it’s genetic,” she says.

A graduate of Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Maryann landed in Millville after losing more than a few rented studios around South Jersey. The building would sell and the new landlord wanted to use the space for something else. “I finally decided it was time to buy and Millville was both affordable and active in the arts,” she recalls.

They first bought and renovated a commercial building which served as Maryann’s studio. Then they noticed the old car repair shop across the street – an ideal spot for an arts and retail community.

To complement the main building, they scratch-built a collection of 10 small cottages, each with a unique plan and color scheme. The idea became reality and Village On High was born. Today’s Village is home to a dynamic and vibrant community of artists, craftspeople, shopkeepers and culinary professionals