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AmigosNAZ staff report
FLAGSTAFF —The Sunnyside Neighborhood Association of Flagstaff Inc. will hold its monthly Market of Dreams / Mercado de los Sueños marketplace from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20 at 2532 E. 7th Ave., at the Southwest corner of the Cal-Ranch parking lot in Flagstaff.
The marketplace is held the third Thursday of the Month.
During the past week organizers were busy putting up the center’s signage, preparing of the installation of shelves and products and working on the space for the neighborhood radio station, which is schedule to go into operation later this spring.
The Market of Dreams / Mercado de los Sueños is a micro-business mentoring, retail / production, community leadership development and youth engagement center at the corner of 4th Street and 7th Avenue.
“This innovative market features unique crafts and arts from local artisans, Coral Evans, executive director of the association, stated in a media release. “Members of the Market of Dreams are new entrepreneurs who are starting their own businesses. Shoppers have the opportunity to speak directly with and purchase goods from the vendors.”
The center is a special initiative, grassroots project led by the association in partnership with Northern Arizona University, with seed funding from JPMorganChase.
It is not just an economic project, and not just a cultural project, but an ambitious endeavor designed to weave together both economic and cultural components in a collaborative way, organizers reported. The end result being a vibrant multi-cultural market and micro-entrepreneurship center.
“One of the purposes of the Market of Dreams is to promote business growth, stimulate the local economy and foster grassroots leadership,” Evans said. “In addition to the retail space, the market offers business workshops, classes and mentoring resources.”
The center’s five main functions include:
- Micro-Business Mentoring and Pre-Incubation Services: Co-working space, micro-loan fund through SEDI, business workshops and classes, and access to a wide range of small-business assistance resources to support a diversity of businesses at different stages and with different needs.
- Retail/Production Space: Shared storefront market space. Access to a commercially certified kitchen for food production.
- Community Leadership Development: Democratically led by community members, and training and mentoring to expand entrepreneurial and civic leadership capacity.
- Youth Engagement: A space for youth entrepreneurship and youth involvement.
- Beautification and Revitalization of 4th Street: Creating a locus for community-based redevelopment, and a vibrant network of new businesses.
The project began in 2010/11 when the association partnered with the Northern Arizona Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (NACET) to conduct a feasibility study on the potential of micro-entrepreneurship in the neighborhood, organizers reported.
The study, which expanded ongoing activities of the Sunnyside Market at Killip School, showed that there is high demand and that such a Center is highly feasible.
In 2013 the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association partnered with NAU’s Program for Community, Culture and the Environment to begin work on the vision of a cooperative entrepreneurship center. Since then the groups have been working together with a long list of partner organizations to plan the Dream Market.
With support from local and county government, business resource organizations like NACET, Sustainable Economic Development Initiative (SEDI), Coconino County Basic Business Empowerment Program and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), local schools, the United Way of Northern Arizona, the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce, Flagstaff FOODLINK, and many other groups, a passionate team of community members and entrepreneurs are working hard to make the Market of Dreams a reality, organizers reported.
The Market of Dreams is accessible to anyone across Northern Arizona.
“We invite you to join the team, contribute your ideas and dreams, sell your merchandise, and help to truly transform the economic landscape of Northern Arizona,” Evans said.
Initially the retail store hours will be Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m., Saturdays from noon until 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon until 4 p.m.
Classes/Workshop hours will be held Mondays through Saturdays. Click here for February’s class schedule.
Visit www.facebook.com/groups/MercadodeSuenos or call 928-213-5900 for more information.