BALTIMORE — You may have been in one of their pop up stores, and now you can check them out online!
Made in Baltimore has been running pop up stores since 2015, showcasing a variety of products like clothing, jewelry, artwork and bath products from local brands around the city.
The store is created by more than three dozen makers, and is broken up into different categories. It includes brands and makers that are Black-owned, women-owned and LGBTQ+ owned.
Andy Cook, Made in Baltimore Executive Director says that every year they've done them, they've grown in popularity and the number one question they get from consumers is "where can we buy the product when the pop-up isn't happening?"
While having a permanent home to the store is a goal, in the interim they decided to move the whole project online so that they could have a store operating 24/7.
"Baltimore City is roughly 60 percent African American and we want to make sure that our network, the main Baltimore network reflects the demographics of our city," Cook explained. "So we try and be very intentional about both recruitment, but also program inclusion for all of our members to make sure that everyone that participates in our programs, reflects that demographic."
Cook explained that while minority-owned businesses make up the majority of small businesses in Baltimore City, they only draw in a very small percentage of the overall wealth generated in the city annually.
Made in Baltimore is trying to level that playing field.
"Our hope is that by highlighting these women and minority-owned businesses, we're helping steer customers in their direction, helping them grow, helping them basically get a bigger share of that pie," he said.
There's such a wide range of unique products that you're not going to be able to find anywhere else.
"When you buy local, you're investing in your community, you're investing in jobs in your neighborhoods, you're investing in real estate, in a sense for all these companies that are occupying formerly vacant warehouses, or formerly vacant storefronts," Cook said. "It's really a way of helping to build wealth in our community, keep our spending dollars local, and just make Baltimore a better place."
Products from their store can be shipped nationwide, but if that's not your thing, you can also select in-store pickup and get your product from Mount Washington.
If you want to take a look at the website or submit your business click here.