The Vault: Shop Local Tulsa
Mother Road Market is unique for many reasons, least of all for the small former walk-in safe that now operates as our micro pop-up retail space, The Vault. When we opened Mother Road Market, we were excited to offer an affordable, flexible, and adaptable space that provided retail entrepreneurs, nonprofits, makers, pre-packaged food producers, and artists a place to test their big ideas, gain a following, and sell their products.
From the first day we opened to March 2020, we hosted 431 pop ups by 181 different entrepreneurs! Not to mention the seven art markets that provided additional opportunities for 79 entrepreneurs. We are excited to re-open The Vault (which had previously been closed due to the pandemic) for the Holiday 2021 season. Once again, the space is full of local artists and makers selling unique handmade goods and gifts.
Joining us this holiday season are old and new faces. We welcome back mother-daughter duo Angie and Kelsey, owners of Monsters Packs and Meringueaholic.
“We are so excited to be back at the Vault in Mother Road Market. We always have so much fun there. It is an excellent opportunity to test market a business concept and see if your dreams can become a reality! Perfect for the hobby creator that wants to sell their creations!” -Angie Hammond, Monster Packs
We also welcome back Esther Wright, owner of Hilo de Amor - Wonders of Oaxaca (pictured), Kayla Adams, owner of Kayla Adams Art, the collective of incredible artists at Cockatoo Creative, and Debi Woods, owner of Debi Woods Calligraphy.
We’re thrilled to have new entrepreneurs popping up this season too:
SOUNDWRX - Their unique products tell stories about hearing loss and 100% of your purchase goes back to SOUNDWRX to provide more jobs.
Mickel Yantz Art - Mickel’s combination of fun pop culture characters created in the style of Day of the Dead sugar skulls is artful. He also creates original paintings using a style called calligraffiti that uses calligraphy brush strokes to make abstract and conceptual designs.
Boston Boutique - Kidpreneur alert! Boston makes handmade jewelry and custom fashion tees. What Boston loves about being a kidpreneur: “I'm able to teach other kids how to do what they love, using their talent, and make money while doing it. I try to empower, motivate, cultivate, and inspire others.”
Bella Donna - Their 100% soy wax, phthalate-free fragrance oils, crystals, and home grown herbs emphasize pure, quality ingredients for your home.
Sweeter Sweet Pea - Inspired by their love of gardening and nature, they sell houseplants and other garden-inspired gifts.
Brooks Wilson Art - Recently retired from construction, Brooks is pursuing his dream as a full-time artist as a woodcarver and watercolorist. Brooks will have waterfowl and songbird woodcarvings, original watercolor paintings, prints, canvas prints and note cards available for purchase.
Mended with Nature - They offer all natural products using pure therapeutic essential oils. Every product is created with love, passion, and research.
6th Dimension x EL Hawk.S.I - A unique collaboration of two brands developed by identical twins, Amber and Areanna. Their work is a demonstration of the illusions found in nature expressed through photography, apparel, and home goods.
The Curious Bison - We’re especially excited for this pop up. They shared with us that: “Mother Road Market is a special place to us. We met here on our first date, and are excited to host our first popup shop here.” Stop by and shop their laser cut custom gifts with modern designs crafted from premium materials.
Visit https://www.motherroadmarket.com/events for a full calendar of our scheduled pop ups. For additional gift ideas in our vibrant district, visit the Tulsa Market District’s Gift Guide.
We encourage you to join us in our mission to…
Do Good x Eat Well x Shop Local
BONUS: Why you should shop local this holiday season (and perhaps, forever):
It keeps money in our community. For every $100 you spend at locally owned businesses, $68 will stay in the community. Local businesses are also reported to generate 70% more local economic activity per square foot than big box retailers.
It’s better for the environment. Shopping locally is more sustainable because it cuts down on overall waste (especially in packaging) and travel emissions. Shipping is reported to produce 1 billion metric tons of CO2 per year.
It’s a more personal experience with better customer service. Small businesses have fewer customers than their big box counterparts which translates to better customer service overall. They take greater care of their customers, can answer your individual questions, and customize your order. Often you’re also interacting with the maker, artist, or entrepreneur who owns the business. (You’ll also likely get to see them do a happy dance when they make a sale.)
It supports the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. Local businesses often carry other local businesses, makers, artists, and producers. Shopping from a small business is a hyper-local experience with a unique variety of products, goods, and gifts made right here.
It creates and supports jobs in Tulsa. Small businesses with fewer than 500 employees account for 99.7% of all U.S. employers.
It’s better for those in need in our community. Small businesses are reported to donate 250% more than large businesses to community causes.
It adds to the character of destination districts! So many small businesses take pride in the history and culture of their building, district, or city. These are the places where you’ll encounter local art, murals, and landmarks that individual businesses invested in to create. On Route 66 in Tulsa, this also means that you’ll find quirky roadside attractions like the Buck Atom’s Space Cowboy Muffler Man, Mr. Dreams Paper Moon at Decopolis, and the art car at Mother Road Market.
It maintains Tulsa’s reputation as an entrepreneur-friendly city. By shopping at locally owned businesses, you help to create an environment that builds upon Tulsa’s excellent reputation as one of the top six best cities in the U.S. for small business.
It’s a reliable option amid supply chain issues. Many businesses are experiencing supply chain issues, but when you shop locally you don’t have to worry about your gifts sitting on a ship for weeks.
It will help Tulsa’s economy recover faster. The pandemic has negatively impacted our local economy, especially our small businesses, startups, and restaurants.
Sources:
USA Today Report: The Best U.S. Cities for Small Business