Every product in this supermarket is made from felt. All 20,000 of them

FastCompany: Red hots. Frosted Flakes. Wonder Bread. The shelves inside the Momentary gallery in Bentonville, Arkansas, are filled with childhood supermarket favorites. Except they look a tick off. The Frosted Flakes box is a little squat, and the Wonder Bread bag features almost hand-scrawled type. That’s because everything in this space is made from felt. All 20,000 objects. The faux supermarket is the work of Lucy Sparrow, a British artist who specializes in handmade felted objects. For her newly opened show at the Momentary, she recreated a retro supermarket that channels the ’80s and ’90s, VHS video section and all.

Titled “The Beginning of Convenience,” the exhibition explores American retail during the years 1975 to 1995—a time when the rise of dual-income households led to a boom in convenience culture, prepared foods, and new retail experiences. [Photo: Wesley Hitt / Getty Images for the Momentary] Across three separate galleries, The Beginning of Convenience spans 400 square feet and features more than 20,000 pieces of handmade felted artwork. The full-scale supermarket replica is meant to feel familiar and nostalgic but slightly unsettling.

“My art is always focused on re-creating everyday community spaces that we all share and turning them into theatrical artistic spaces,” says Sparrow. “Supermarket is the perfect location for this and gives a huge canvas of possibilities for my work.” [Photo: Wesley Hitt / Getty Images for the Momentary] Sparrow grew up making her own toys. Eventually she began creating objects with felt, which has been her predominant medium. She’s best known for her immersive installations recreating retail environments in handmade detail. She transforms empty spaces into nostalgic worlds, including supermarkets, corner shops, fast-food, and pharmacies.

“The Beginning of Convenience” took over two years of research from Sparrow, who jokes that the “creative process is anything but convenient.” She even learned to create her own neon signs for the project. [Photo: Wesley Hitt / Getty Images for the Momentary] Along with the supermarket recreation, the exhibition will also include a 30-minute behind-the-scenes documentary, alongside a collection of vintage ads, all produced by Sparrow. Developing this process and learning new skills, Sparrow shares, was the most rewarding. The third gallery will feature a recreation of Sparrow’s studio.

“I really just want people to enjoy their time within the exhibition,” said Sparrow. “My intention is to inspire complete joy and nostalgia when people walk in—some visitors will recognize every product on the shelves, while others won’t be familiar with many of them, but I hope the exhibition will start a conversation between the generations.” The exhibition will run from July 18, 2026 to July 11, 2027.

The exhibition creatively combines art and brand strategy, showcasing a unique approach to engaging audiences through nostalgia, which is significant but may not directly influence broader industry practices.