With the economy moving along in less-than-spectacular fashion, it has become harder and harder for small merchants and designers to set up shop — which is where Rex Ehdlund comes in. An entrepreneur by definition, Ehdlund is actually harder to pin down than that. A graphic artist, designer, publisher and mainstay of the local arts community, Ehdlund is nothing short of a blur of activity. A former publisher of such collectable pop culture publications as Hypno and the owner of the Popular Naughty clothing line, his latest endeavor is the Industry Showroom, a unique small business incubator space that focuses on art, fashion and design. Opened in 2010, the location makes it possible for small businesses to launch, grow and flourish in a vibrant community environment for a fraction of the normal startup costs. “I got the idea from the farmers markets in town,” Ehdlund said. “I realized that there are people with large unrented spaces, as well as people who might not have enough merchandise to fill an entire space, or the budget to do so. This is a solution to both of those problems.” Featuring a common area retail floor that constantly changes as it plays host to local designers and creative entrepreneurs, the Industry Showroom has something for just about everybody. The space includes an art gallery that presents First Friday opening nights to meet-and-mix with the artists, Urban Yogi yoga studio, an event facility, a photo studio, DCompress Downtown Massage and So Diego Tours. It’s a testament to the location’s success that many clothing lines, including Consuul Clothing, Stacie May, BritBoy Fashions, Jojo Electro, Touch of Shine, Melt Boutique and Flex Watches consider this location their base. On Dec. 10, the Industry Showcase hosts Bohemian Market, a one-day shopping event, complete with a DJ, bringing together more than 20 local designers in one place for holiday shopping ease. Among those on hand will be Nate Stodghill of MTV’s “Real World San Diego.” “It’s one of those events where if you show up with 20 bucks, you’ll leave happily carrying something you can’t find anywhere else,” Ehdlund said. “Being located downtown, we get a mix of locals and tourists, so we weren’t sure what to expect last year, but I think people were excited to be able to find exclusive clothing and gift items.” He said small items seemed to move the best. “We do get a lot of tourists, so things like a flower for your hair or a purse seem to be particularly popular,” he said. “Either way, last December’s showcase was probably the biggest event we had all year.” While Ehdlund said he is happy with the current state of affairs, he would like to find the backing to expand. “Because it is entrepreneurism, small business and creative stuff, I’d love to get more sponsors for it,” he said, “whether it be schools or banks or whatever makes sense, in a ‘pay it forward’ way.” Ehdlund said he hopes the location can grow, but he’s clear he would never change his favorite thing about the Industry Showroom: the human touch missing from online transactions. “I like the exposure that people get for cool items they designed themselves,” he said. “But also when people sell things just online, they don’t get that one-on-one interaction with the public. They don’t see people’s eyes light up when they find something they didn’t know they were looking for.” For this reason, he said he’s surprised more artists and designers haven’t joined forces similarly. “It’s like the cheapest test marketing you can do,” he said. “Finding out what people gasp at, finding out what they love.” Bohemian Market: Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Industry Showroom, 345 6th Avenue. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. www.industryshowroom.com.