Shop Small
Opening a retail store can be exciting. It can also be expensive. But for a fortunate group of entrepreneurs, this barrier to entry has been minimized by the new Bremen Village Shops. An innovative retail concept created by partners Amber Reed and Matt VanSoest, the Bremen Village Shops provides low-cost shed structures that allow entrepreneurs and business owners a storefront without the constricting commitment of a more costly building or long-term lease.
Bremen Village Shops is the brainchild of Reed after she and her family visited a similar development in Illinois. She collaborated with fellow Leadership Marshall County members and the partnering nonprofit Bremen Community Cares Inc. to draft the business concept proposal to the Bremen Redevelopment Commission, and they received not only approval but widespread industry support, with foundational elements including wiring, concrete and insulation.
VanSoest, an architectural urban designer by trade, was eager to use his experience with Leadership Marshall County to invest time and energy into the entrepreneurial endeavor. Reed, a high school teacher of business and entrepreneurial studies, was dedicated to providing an inviting place to encourage people to visit, shop and spend more time in Bremen.
A native of Bremen herself, Reed notes that the location of the Bremen Village Shops holds great meaning to her, since the shops will stand on the same property where her grandfather and father once owned a gas station. To continue her family’s tradition of business ownership in the same location brings even deeper purpose to the impact she hopes the shops have within the community.
“I’d like to think my dad would be really proud of this venture to bring new energy to the downtown, on the same land where he ran his gas station and I ran around as a young girl,” Reed says.
Funding from the Bremen Redevelopment Commission allows Reed and VanSoest to invite business owners to launch their businesses in the Bremen community with minimal financial burden. In return, the community and visitors gain a greater variety of shopping experiences.
Business owners pay an annual fee that aligns more with one month’s rent for a typical lease, and they occupy a finished shed that measures 14 by 14 feet, complete with electricity, heat and air conditioning. There will also be public restrooms onsite. In addition to holding retail hours of operation, each business is asked to commit to continuing education, such as accounting and merchandising training, to grow the business. Each business is given a one-year membership in the Bremen Chamber of Commerce.
The inaugural group of entrepreneurs was selected through an interview process that included submitting a business plan as well as expressing why they desired to open a retail location. For this first season’s launch, the Bremen Village Shops will be home to a variety of vendors ranging from a community-focused service organization and first-time entrepreneurs to established business owners, including Reed herself.
Her business, Studio 574, uses laser engraving and UV printing to create one-of-a-kind cutting boards, jewelry and other boutique items. She began her business in 2020 and has always desired a retail location, but does not want to step away from teaching right now.
Like many entrepreneurs, Reed admits, “I always wanted to open a store, but as a full-time high school teacher, I didn’t have the time or resources to commit to typical retail hours.”
By developing the Bremen Village Shops, Reed and VanSoest answer the challenges that entrepreneurs face in two significant ways.
First, the cost to occupy a shed is far more inclusive than exclusive. Second, the business is only required to be open a certain number of hours per week, with a focus on weekend shoppers, allowing business owners the chance to prove their entrepreneurial concept without sacrificing their existing full-time obligations.
Joining this year’s Bremen Village Shops is Three Oaks, Michigan-based Nest Number 4, an expansion of owner Kim Yettaw’s current store in Three Oaks, where she features unique items from local artisans including home goods and décor, body care products, cleaning solutions and candles. Revival Rack stocks resale clothing for the entire family, and Uptown Renewal houses a curated collection of upscale women’s resale clothing and accessories.
Honey Shea Studios designs thoughtful jewelry, including owner Honey Shea’s “unending jewelry bar” line of custom-fit bracelets, anklets and necklaces that have a seamless closure without using traditional welding. The shops will also offer visitors the chance to shop at Novaco, an online clothing boutique with the motto, “Wear what you love, love what you wear.”
Shoppers can satisfy their cravings for delicious handmade breads, rolls and sweets at Sourdough Haven Bread Company, including its very own “Carrie Breadshaw” sourdough starter. Maple & Honey Coffee Company boasts an owner who is young and focused on leveraging her experience working in a coffee shop to owning and running one of her own.
Bremen Community Cares rounds out the lineup of businesses, serving as a veritable living classroom where Bremen entrepreneurial students can use the space to showcase a concept or sell their creations.
Reed emphasizes the importance of the Bremen Village Shops in “providing entrepreneurs a chance to discover if they have a viable product that appeals to the target audience.”
The business concept is to continually rotate retail concepts in and out to attract shoppers. However, current business owners will have the opportunity to reapply for the next year’s retail selection. It is the long-term vision of Bremen Village Shops to help facilitate the transition of village businesses into actual brick-and-mortar storefront buildings within downtown Bremen.
Each vendor in the Bremen Village Shops can run its own specials, but together they will welcome live music on the fourth Friday of every month to turn up the volume on the shopping experience.
The Bremen Village Shops plan to track sales among vendors each season to better understand what Bremen and visiting shoppers find valuable in the retail experience. Ideally, the data will help continually improve the Bremen community experience and encourage residents to stay, while inspiring visitors to consider Bremen as a wonderful place to settle and raise a family.
The Bremen Village Shops recently appeared on a Hometown Living segment on WBST-TV, celebrating the season, which runs from the grand opening June 6-7 through the second week of December.
When the weekend arrives, plan to make the Bremen Village Shops part of your shopping list!
Bremen Village Shops is located at 125 E. Plymouth St. in Bremen.
Hours of operation are Friday, 5-9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 1-5 p.m.
For more information, visit Facebook or email bremenvillageshops@gmail.com.
