The Virgin Islands Council on the Arts (VICA) and the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority’s Enterprise Zone Commission (EZC) are excited to announce the reopening of the “Made in the USVI” Pop-Up Shop this holiday season. This popular holiday store will open from Wednesday, Dec. 11, through Saturday, Dec. 21, in downtown Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas.
As individuals travel from the eastern side of the island toward the west, the “Made in the USVI” Pop-Up Shop will be located on the right-hand side on the first block of Main Street in the purple building next to the Lucky Jewelers store. The doors to this unique shopping experience will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays, according to the press release.
Store hours will be extended during the Miracle on Main Street event on Friday. Residents and visitors will have another opportunity to purchase a wide variety of unique gifts made in the USVI, including food items, bags, clothing, artwork, spa merchandise, and much more, the press release stated.
“Having a Made in the USVI Pop-Up Shop in our community these last few years is a clear indication that the USVI has local artisans with incredible talent and creativity. This event not only provides a platform for showcasing their unique products but also plays a critical role in promoting economic and small-business growth and pride in what our USVI community has to offer the world,” said Nadine Marchena Kean, managing director of the Enterprise Zone Commission.
“And although the USVI has a small community, it is a vibrant landscape for several talented individuals who express and share what the USVI is all about through culture and art, and in many other industries,” added Marchena Kean.
An event is being planned for Wednesday evening from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and another Santa event will be held on Saturday, the release stated.
Pop-Up Stores are short-term stores temporarily established in an available space to allow customers to experience products of a business firsthand. These stores are excellent opportunities to support local businesses and find one-of-a-kind holiday gifts while celebrating the rich culture and craftsmanship of the U.S. Virgin Islands, it said.
According to statistics from Pop Up Republic, a retail marketing database, the pop-up shop industry has grown to approximately $10 billion in sales. Pop-Up stores allow businesses, including startups and online businesses, to connect and form relationships with potential customers while business owners “test the waters” of having a brick-and-mortar store.
In 2018, the EZC and VICA jointly initiated their first “Made in the USVI” Pop Up Shop and collaborated to assist local, licensed small manufacturers and artisans with increasing their opportunities for business growth in the USVI and outside of the territory, the release stated.
For more information about the “Made in the USVI” Pop Up Shop, contact VICA at 340-774-4458, send an email to vicastt@yahoo.com or visit the VICA office in the white building across from the Frederick Evangelical Lutheran Church and Fort Christian in downtown Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas.
