Macomb will soon welcome a fresh retail concept designed to support small businesses and local artisans in the region by providing a shared storefront space for their products.
The new 309 Marketplace will occupy the former storefront of Nostalgia Decor and Gifts at 129 N Randolph St. in Macomb.
The new venture is led by Paul and Courtni Runser, Seth and Jami Minter, with Katie Conlin as the store manager. The founders said the idea developed from their many visits to the “Made in KC Marketplace” on the plaza in Kansas City.
“We love to visit this collective space, and we decided this is something that could go over well in Macomb,” Minter said. They also drew inspiration from the popular Macomb Market on the Square pop-up events. “We thought ‘why can’t we have a smaller version of this market open year-round?’ So we are making it happen!”
The marketplace will feature a variety of vendors offering “men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, accessories, jewelry, hats, and shoes, along with home decor, candles, diffusers, skincare, special pet treats/ items, children’s gifts, handmade cards, homemade blankets/ rugs, and general gift items.”
Their goal is to attract a broad customer base. “We want a family to be able to walk in and find something for every age group,” Minter said. “With a variety of different vendors, we can cater to the interests of many populations—babies, children, teens, all ages of adults and even your pet.”
The team has renovated the building’s interior to create a more open feel.
“We are excited to reveal the changes we’ve made to the inside,” Minter said. “We wanted a more open feel just like the other collective spaces we’ve visited, and I think we’ve done a great job of achieving that.” They also praised local designer Tim Rice’s work on their logo, saying, “We are also really happy with the design work Tim Rice has put into our logo, and we can’t wait to reveal how we will be using that throughout the store as well.”
The marketplace aims to open in time for the holiday shopping season.
“We will announce important updates on our social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) so we encourage everyone to give us a follow to keep up to date,” Minter said.
“We are excited to provide something new for the community and look forward to seeing our vision come to life,” he added. “Also, we’re thankful for all the community support we’ve already received.”
