Exploring Life & Business with Lureena Thompson of Cheerio Collective

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lureena Thompson.

Hi Lureena, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Creativity has always been the throughline of my life. I went to an arts high school for visual art, but I eventually found my way into theater and improv, which completely reshaped how I show up in my work. I trained with the Providence Improv Guild, where I was also a house team member, as well as iO Chicago, where I joined a house team after moving there. I also spent time at Providence’s AS220, which was a huge creative home for me. Those spaces, including AS220, PIG, and iO, were more than places to perform or make art. They were sacred third spaces where I learned how to trust my instincts, collaborate, experiment, and grow. They shaped me in ways I did not fully understand until I moved to Los Angeles.

When I arrived in Los Angeles, I realized that kind of creative home that felt warm, weird, supportive, and community centered was missing from my life. I felt that absence deeply. So I set out to build one myself. That is how Cheerio Collective began. I wanted to recreate the feeling of the spaces that raised me, challenged me, and helped me become who I am.

Professionally, I have always been a multidisciplinary artist. I work with found objects, I design, I act, and I write. I do a little too much, honestly, but all of it feeds each other in a meaningful way. One of the projects I am most proud of is the huge mosaic floor at Cheerio Collective, mosaic in the loosest sense of the word. It covers 1,200 square feet and it absolutely kicked my ass, but it was a labor of love and one of the most fulfilling things I have ever made.

The way I got here was mostly by showing up every day and following the fun until it tricks me into doing a ton of hard work. Improv taught me adaptability, collaboration, and how to trust myself, qualities I now carry into everything I create.

Cheerio Collective is the culmination of all of that: intention, play, creativity, community, and sustainability. I wanted to build a home for connection, and now we host everything from Music Mondays to repair fairs, indoor flea markets, artist features, supper clubs, and movie nights. It is warm, welcoming, and full of heart, the kind of space I once relied on and the kind of space I now hope to offer others.

That is the journey, a mix of art, community, instinct, and the desire to build the place I needed.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Imagine if i was like, yes, smooth road! There are constant struggles that I won’t bore you with and my therapist can attest!

As you know, we’re big fans of Cheerio Collective . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Cheerio Collective is a store and event venue built with intention, creativity, and a deep commitment to community At our core, we are a home for connection. We host a wide range of offerings, including Music Mondays, artist features, indoor flea markets that support local vendors, free repair fairs, supper clubs, movie nights, and intimate gatherings that bring people together. Everything we do is rooted in care and the belief that community thrives when people have a place to feel seen and inspired.
One of the things we are best known for is our dedication to sustainable design and creative reuse, which shows up everywhere in the space. The centerpiece of Cheerio Collective is our 1,200 square foot mosaic floor, which I designed and installed myself using remnant offcuts of natural stone like marble, granite, quartz, and travertine. It was a true labor of love and one of the most challenging and fulfilling projects I have ever taken on. The floor represents our brand values perfectly: beauty, intentionality, resourcefulness, and a commitment to reimagining what already exists rather than creating new waste.
Documenting the entire renovation process, especially the mosaic floor, sparked major excitement both in the Highland Park neighborhood and online. Those videos reached millions of viewers and created an incredible amount of anticipation for Cheerio’s opening. I think the reason it resonated so deeply is because people could feel the heart behind it.
What sets us apart is that Cheerio is not just a venue or a store. It is a living, breathing third space where art, sustainability, and community coexist. We offer experiences that celebrate local talent, encourage connection, and create a sense of belonging. Our brand is proud to be warm, accessible, and full of soul. We want people to walk in and feel instantly welcomed, whether they are attending an event, browsing the shop, or simply passing through.
What I want readers to know is that Cheerio Collective is built with intention in every corner. Our offerings are thoughtfully curated, our space is created with sustainable practices in mind, and our mission is to bring people together in meaningful, joyful, and inspiring ways.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
One of the best things about Los Angeles is the incredible food culture, where you can find flavors from all over the world in a single neighborhood. The city is rich with creativity and diversity, but one of the biggest hurdles here is making meaningful connections. It can be hard to find places that feel truly welcoming, grounding, and community driven. That is the void we are trying to fill at Cheerio Collective by creating a space where people can come together, connect, and feel at home.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cheeriocollective.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheeriocollective/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@cheeriocollective

Image Credits

Leslie Frempong for profile photo