By Miranda Millard
Chaos Coordinator
Brick 939 Holiday Pop Up Marketplace was in full swing this past weekend. The Marketplace popped off with a free session of morning yoga by practitioner Logan Martini, where everyone got their inner OHM on – mind, body, soul flexin’ in full effect. Donuts and coffee followed, as vendors set up shop in preparation to showcase product wares and goods. There was a sense of community building in those beginning hours – with an energy exchange of excitement and anticipation present in the air.
The pop up ran from 12-5pm both Saturday and Sunday and had over 14 vendors collaborating and networking side-by-side. By 1pm on Saturday the Marketplace was buzzing with activity, as entrepreneurs both new and veteran to the game, shared not just their services but their stories with patrons experiencing the space. Brick and Mortar – the businesses of a landscape and the people that hold it all together.
In addition to the Marketplace, an array of Midwest visual artists were on display – art work available for purchase and The Red Door Project was setting up for the Holiday Bazaar / Art Wonderland that will be occurring this Friday. The screening room was active – looping films throughout the day Saturday and hosting a Bengals game watching on Sunday in tandem with pizza and beer. Though the Bengals ultimately lost to the Steelers – there was no losing inside Brick939, with its winning mix of economic inclusion and community involvement that the space has birthed by way of opportunity.
Over the past month, the Brick939 Marketplace has provided space & opportunity for local entrepreneurs to expand their brands into a brick & mortar retail atmosphere. Many of these vendors have stated that without this space they wouldn’t have access to another platform to capitalize on the holiday shoppers, so it’s truly become a launch pad for new businesses to test their ideas and veteran companies to grow an established brand. 939 is a space for makers, bakers, artists and filmmakers to come together and to take ownership – building community – one business, one person at a time. Through Brick939, MORTAR is constructing Cincinnati success stories, and there is a lot more building to do…
