At the start of Covid-19, Valley residents and longtime friends Erica Jerido and Jacqueline Thomas decided to start their own business so they could pursue their passion and spend more time with their kids.
While working other jobs, the two started selling clothing and accessories as a vendor, but after attending multiple events the friends realized they cared more about the connections they were making in the community.
This led them to create a weekly event in Glendale, which started with 30 to 40 vendors but has since expanded to about 100 vendors and food trucks in the past few months, Jerido said. Since January, the family-friendly event, called The Sunset Shop, has been held at O'Neil Park with free entertainment like talent shows and other activities for children.
"It's just been an awesome way for these small businesses to reach the Glendale community," Jerido told the Phoenix Business Journal.
After seeing the success of their weekly events, Jerido said they wanted to continue growing and help other small businesses succeed, so they leased an 1,800-square-foot space that has been left vacant since the pandemic in Historic Downtown Glendale.
"Now, we are going to be able to give 40 businesses a permanent space to display their product and to reach the community even further," Jerido said. "It's also going to be a multi-purpose space that allows the businesses to teach classes of their craft."
The new space will be called Retail Therapy AZ and offer local handmade merchandise and products and classes from small businesses across the state. So far, Jerido said they've received more than 100 applications from interested business owners.
With the boost in interest, Jerido said they will most likely create a waitlist for space but will allow businesses to offer classes even if they don't have product in the store, which will have sections for health and beauty, fashion and apparel, home decor and local art.
Like their Sunset Shop event, Jerido said the new boutique will create a more affordable and permanent place for small businesses and vendors and bring more business to downtown Glendale.
"The vendor world and the events, a lot of them are kind of unpredictable — sales are not guaranteed, vendor fees can be extremely high," Jerido said. "They're also looking for ways to expand their business and take their brand to the next level, and to be able to say that 'I am in a storefront,' is a great marketing tactic."
Retail Therapy AZ will continue taking applications through April 15 and announce the small businesses selected for the store in May. Jerido and Thomas, who are both leaving their jobs to pursue the shop full time, said the store will open in June at 7029 N. 57th Drive.
Interested vendors or businesses can apply for the store by contacting them on Instagram at Retail Therapy AZ or email the company at retailtherapyaz@gmail.com. They will also announce an indoor location for their weekly Sunset Shop event once they've secured a location for the hotter temperatures.
A fundraiser to support the new shop has raised more than $2,000 on GoFundMe from 62 donors for the overall goal of $5,000.
