PHOENIX — A retail shop featuring dozens of local small businesses is opening its doors very soon in Downtown Phoenix.
Retail Therapy AZ is set to open the first week of January at the Phoenix Convention Center. They’ve created a unique platform for Arizona small businesses to sell their products to both locals and visitors from around the world.
Retail Therapy AZ is a member of Local First Arizona. One of the store's owners, Erica Jerido, said they’re always looking for opportunities for local small businesses to sell their goods. Inside the store you’ll find Arizona driven merchandise from local art to jewelry, apparel and food, just about anything a creator can make is shelved there.
This newest Phoenix Convention Center location is a new opportunity for both tourists and Arizonans to find local souvenirs when visiting Phoenix. There are three other Valley locations, in Scottsdale, Downtown Glendale and Westgate. Jerido said the idea was started by two valley women, herself - a former teacher, and another, who was in the restaurant business. Together, they had an idea and put it into motion.
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“This was a duo who loves supporting local who wanted to find an opportunity to spend time with our children and develop something of our own," Jerido said. "And we started as a small market in a park about a year and a half ago."
Jerido said the Downtown Phoenix spot will showcase about 80 different founding small businesses in their newest space. While they’re full at this location now, they’re always looking for opportunities to feature more.
Earth Based Body is one of the shops both tourists and Arizonans will be able to shop at in Phoenix. It’s a dry skin therapy made for desert dwellers. Founder Nancy Rimbergas said she came up with the idea when her friend was diagnosed with melanoma. She said her product is all natural, vegan and cruelty free. The woman made and woman owned brand is made in Tucson.
“There’s an organic desert aloe vera, there’s Sonoran lemon, there's Sonoran spirulina, prickly pear cactus," Rimbergas said. "So they get to take home a little bit of the desert with them.”
There are local artists at the store too. Andrea Manciet said she paints commissions for people, hosts paint classes at the store and has painted the murals in store and around the Valley. Manciet said she got started when she got sick with Chrohn’s disease.
She was forced to quit her then job and turned to art to make a living. Today, Manciet is anticipating sharing her local products with not only Arizonans but visitors from around the world very soon.
“Being so sick and not knowing where my life was headed, not even really wanting to get up in the morning and now seeing my art that healed me now being shown to so many people and making them happy and teaching classes and helping them connect with themselves and boost their confidence, lower their stress levels, it’s truly such a blessing and a gift to be where I’m at," Manciet said.
Rhys and Avery jewelry is another small business that will open at the new Phoenix location. The creator, Nancy Cox, features natural gemstone jewelry. She said she shapes all over her own necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
Cox said she always had a passion for jewelry making and officially started her business about two years ago because of COVID.
“In this particular store I’ll have more turquoise," Cox said. "I’m from the area, from Kingman. I’ll also have a lot of peridot which is also mined in Arizona, so they can take a little bit of Arizona home with them."
Retail Therapy AZ's soft opening is Jan. 3, with the official opening day on Thursday, Jan. 4. The business will also participate in Phoenix's First Friday beginning on Jan. 5.
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