BY KADIE VICK
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — The Market at Magnolia on Main provides local small businesses a space to share their product with the community without the high cost of renting a storefront on their own.
“The Market at Magnolia on Main is an incubator for small businesses,” said owner and manager Ashlee Noles. “We have been open for almost a year and currently have around 15 vendors, and we are now in the process of doing some revamping for fall.”
Many local small businesses have utilized a space within the Market at Magnolia, allowing local customers to shop for a variety of gifts and treats in one place.
“We have several boutiques, a children’s vendor and candle vendors,” Noles said. “Vendors can sell anything new or homemade. We have a lady who sells freshies, hats, custom bags and cups. We have a vendor who sells the freeze-dried treats and many other vendors with different products. If you can’t find something in here that you want, you really don’t want anything.”
Noles said she decided to start the Market at Magnolia because she found herself with a vacant building and wanted to provide an affordable space for local small business owners to sell in their community.
“I thought, ‘What if I had a bunch of small businesses all under one roof, and they all contributed towards paying the rent?’,” she said. “They either pay rent or commission based on what they sell, and they’re able to have and grow their small business, and we pay employees to run it.”
Because of the way the Market at Magnolia hosts many small businesses, the success of one business brings customers to a location where they will see other products and support the other small businesses as well.
“There has been an overwhelming response to Southern Comfort Casseroles,” Noles said. “Many people are so busy with work and life in general, and they don’t have time to cook, but they don’t want to eat fast food all the time. So, they swing by here and they get a casserole, and while they’re in here, they notice something else from another small business that they might like to have.”
The Market at Magnolia provides a shopping center for locals so they do not have to drive to a larger town when they need gifts or other items, and Noles said that locals love that.
“Community members have loved having a place where they can come pick up a shower gift, birthday gift or something they need last minute, and not having to drive 30 minutes to get it,” she said.
Noles said that supporting small businesses at the Market at Magnolia supports local families and commerce.
“When you shop local with small businesses, you’re supporting families,” she said. “You’re not supporting the big companies that have a monopoly on everything; you’re supporting your community. Please come visit us, shop local and support local. Look here before you go somewhere else — you might be surprised at what you may find.”
For more information, visit the Market at Magnolia on Main on Facebook.
