Discovery Action Team Member Diana Martinez discusses her idea for Little Shops Marketplace during a public meeting Thursday night in Council Chambers. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

Staff Report:

The Discovery Action Team announced the results of a recent survey, which gaged local entrepreneurs’ interest in participating in a communal vendor space, during a public meeting Thursday night.

The survey data showed respondents support the idea.

Jim Glover of Once A Day Marketing reported that 111 people responded to the survey. The majority, he said, stated they liked the idea of a large, shared commercial space currently called Little Shops Marketplace.

Discovery Action Team Member Diana Martinez proposed the idea.

Little Shops Marketplace would be a connected gathering place for small-business startups, hobbyists and food vendors to sell products and services under one roof with flexible options for renting small-enclosed spaces, stalls, booths or tables. Martinez said the idea is to not only give the public a place to congregate and socialize but also to offer small business owners an affordable space to rent.

Business owners seem to like the idea, according to the survey results. Glover said 75 percent of the respondents said they have a product or service and are interest in this concept.

Some of the top products and services survey takers said they offer include:  

• Crafts-41 percent
• Fine art jewelry-26 percent
• Clothing-15 percent
• Food and beverage-13 percent
• Cards and gifts-11 percent

As far as the space that business owners would like:

• 24 percent said they would like 8-foot table
• 27 percent said they would like a 5-foot by 5-foot booth
• 28 percent said they would like 10-foot by 10-foot booth
• 8 percent said they would like a 10-foot by 15-foot booth
• 13 percent marked other, which included a kitchen, a locking cabinet and a raised podium

As far as rental fees, the survey proposed a range of prices and the response was mixed on whether survey takers would be willing to pay those fees. The proposed prices were:

• Table-$84 a month
• 5 by 5-foot booth-$87 a month
• 10 by 10-foot booth-$335 a month
• 10 by 15-foot booth- $455 month

Glover concluded that the survey showed the idea of the Little Shops Marketplace was worth pursuing.

“I thought it was pretty compelling,” he said.

As far as next steps, Martinez suggested holding a pop-up event for interested business. She said either during Small Business Saturday or Wintefest might be ideal times.