▼ Culture In the Market The Merchantile in uptown Phoenix is retail by locals, for locals. BY GERI KOEPPEL ness in uptown Phoenix. The Merchantile of Phoenix offers the same concept as The Merchantile of Scottsdale, which opened at 3965 North Brown Avenue in Old Town Scottsdale in October 2019 with individual makers and retailers renting space to sell their prod- ucts. About 80 vendors have set up shop S hopping local for the holidays just got even easier this year: The Merchantile indoor marketplace for Arizona vendors is now open for busi- in Phoenix, while Scottsdale has more than 100. Phoenix’s standalone building at 730 East Missouri Avenue houses about 30 vendors who also have booths in Scottsdale and 50 new retailers in 5,400 square feet. “We were looking for stores around the same size and they were way too big or way too small and this one was exactly the same size as our Scottsdale store,” founder and co-owner Kimberly Pak says. “It was perfect for what we were looking for.” Pak said while the Old Town Scottsdale location was developed with visitors in mind, Phoenix focuses more on products for Phoenicians. “Old Town Scottsdale is highly tourist-driven, which is awesome, but we wanted to branch out into a local community,” she says. Pak’s sister, Brisol Diaz, who co-owns the Phoenix marketplace, says even though it still has an Arizona- centric “desert vibe,” the new space is “more hip, more colorful, more modern.” Pak adds that it sells more home decor, which isn’t as easy to transport for out-of- towners, along with plenty of gifts for women, men, and children. A few of the most The Merchantile Sisters Kimberly Pak (left) and Brisol Diaz are co-owners of the new The Merchantile of Phoenix. popular shops in Phoenix include Sugar Fairy Jewelry, lingerie by Naked Rebellion, and apparel and more by Iconic Arizona, The Uptown Hippie, and Old Town Gypsy Boutique. While not everything is locally manufactured, all the sellers are Arizona-based. Styling, Stocking and Selling Arizona Also, The Merchantile allows many to have a physical presence they wouldn’t have otherwise by providing not only the space, but retail staff. It helps vendors build their brand in real life and allows for spontaneous and last-minute purchases. “It’s really elevated my business to the next level,” says Nick Carmichael, owner of Iconic Arizona. “I’m able to have a retail location that I was able to style and stock, but not have to manage on a daily basis. It’s probably doubled my sales in the last two to three years, and it continues growing.” Carmichael adds that it’s a “huge advan- tage” to be able to sell his products at a brick-and-mortar for people who are crunched for time. If they contact him and need a birthday gift or something to wear to a sporting event and can’t wait for delivery, he sends them to The Merchantile. Pak says her husband, Eugene Pak, moti- vated and inspired her to launch The Merchantile of Scottsdale after they relo- cated to the Valley for his job. She made most of her income selling her handbag line in outdoor markets in Southern California, but didn’t see any counterpart here. And then, Pak recalls thinking, “Man, even if I find one, what about the summer? Abbey Gentry The Merchantile of Phoenix features about 80 local makers, designers, and retailers. I’m going to lose out on income in the summer because it gets so hot.” She came up with the idea for a place that would sell “the best of Arizona,” with makers, designers, and curators. Now, Pak sells her own line of Krista Paige Handbags and Merch Babe clothing at both locations of The Merchantile. There’s a wait list for vendors, who can apply online for a spot, and Pak hopes to continue expanding the business. After opening in Scottsdale, The Merchantile also hosted a pop-up at Tempe Marketplace from November 2021 through March 2022, and she says she would “love more locations for sure.” Look for future incarnations of The Merchantile in the east and/or west Valley. Regular hours at The Merchantile of Phoenix are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Through the month of October, The Merchantile of Phoenix is collecting school and hygiene supplies along with monetary donations for children at Excelencia School and their families. Call 602-296-4417 or visit merchantile.co for more information. 30 OCT 13TH–OCT 19TH, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
