A new storefront is set to open in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood that features products sourced from over a dozen local businesses and entrepreneurs.
The BizStarts Community Market, located at 161 S. 1st St., is a project over a year in the making. As a nonprofit, Milwaukee-based BizStarts helps mentor and train new entrepreneurs. The organization wanted a place where students could have a space to actually set up shop, without having to spend time and money traveling to and renting space at farmers markets and other venues.
“It’s a dream come true to see all of the work the entrepreneurs put in and the struggles they went through before the Community Market…driving from farmers market to farmers market, going to pop-ups and now they have a permanent place to call home,” said Patrick Snyder, president of BizStarts.
During a media-only event held Thursday, representatives from BizStarts, along with city leaders, got a first look at the new shop. The marketplace features a wide variety of products, from handmade soaps and seasonings to vintage clothing and artwork.
In total, products from 18 vendors are on display. Each entrepreneur starts out with a six-month contract for their portion of the space. BizStarts will gather data on each product on the shelves to see what’s selling well.
Isabella Rivera, who is running the BizStarts Community Market and the café inside the space, has been exposed to the inner workings of operating a small business her whole life.
As a young child, some of her first memories were arriving at her parents’ restaurant after school and working on her homework in the back room. Now, as her father has recently founded the Milwaukee-based organization My Way Out, the duo works on growing their businesses together.
Rivera initially began working with BizStarts in the summer of 2022. She had the idea of starting a coffee roasting company and bringing a taste of Puerto Rican coffee to Milwaukee. She went on to found IslaBella Coffee Roasters.
“I’ve seen the determination and hard work it takes to be an entrepreneur and it inspired me, so much so that when I was little, I knew I wanted to run my own company,” said Rivera.
Edith Carter, owner of Rooted & Planted MKE, has worked for Milwaukee Public Schools for over 30 years as a secretary but has always had a deep desire to become an entrepreneur. She started taking BizStarts classes at the end of 2022.
“I’ve always had it in my heart and I was just ready to make the jump,” she said.
Her love of plants was passed down to her from her father, who kept a garden at her childhood home. Now, she cultivates and sells a mix of plants that fall into the “air purifying” category. This includes nature like snake plants and aloe plants.
“It’s just a love for greenery and how it makes you feel when you walk into a room…there’s just something about plants,” said Carter.
She hopes to soon find her own storefront and expand from just selling plants. Adding a whole lineup of eco-friendly products is one of her aspirations.
The main goal of BizStarts, and by extension the Community Market, is to allow entrepreneurs to grow generational wealth and to provide them with equitable business opportunities.
“In the communities we serve, there are numerous people of color who just want a chance to start a business,” said Frank Cumberbatch, chairman of the board for BizStarts. “It’s really an uphill battle to give entrepreneurs an equal opportunity at a time where if you’re not developing tech, you don’t get on peoples’ radar screen. These folks are selling coffee and soap…things that make you feel good about yourself and we’re really proud of that.”
The BizStarts Community Market will open to the public Oct. 27.
