Candle, vegan nail polish and clothing makers to share a new retail spot in the Grove
ST. LOUIS — A new small-business incubator program is bringing retail into the Grove neighborhood, an area of St. Louis mostly known for its dining and nightlife scene.
Three business owners, chosen from among 80 applicants, will share a storefront and workspace on Manchester Avenue, between City Greens Market and a tattoo shop. The program, through the Eric Outlaw Business Center, gives the businesses 14 months in the space — time for owners to try things out, see what works and develop their products.
Gabriel Williams said she has been designing apparel since childhood and opened her clothing brand, Truly Rare Customs, during the pandemic. Her creations can be found online and at her vendor booth around the city. She said she is excited to have a storefront for the first time.
"There's no way I could lose," Williams said. "If I make less money than I expected or have less customers, it's still a win because I will still learn from this process."
The applicants were whittled down, including a pitch competition, to three entrepreneurs, said Brian James, the assistant executive director at Park Central Development, the community organization behind the incubator. The group wanted its first cohort to be minority women who were operating pop-up stores because they are the business owners who needed the incubator the most.
"I'm really excited about the diversity of the businesses," James said. "They're all at different stages."
The storefront is located in the Grove at 4256 Manchester Avenue and will open to the public Oct. 10.
Entrepreneur Joi Riley started her J.R. Candle Co. in 2019, while she was a full-time nurse. She sold as a vendor at events and completed large orders for wedding parties and group vacations. But Riley put her candle-pouring on pause after her house burned down in 2022.
Now, Riley said she's using this incubator to help relaunch.
"There's a difference being in a retail store, but I know I have a good product," Riley said. "This is a great learning opportunity."
Riley said she's hoping to use the next 14 months to decide if she wants to open her own storefront one day. She's said unsure about being confined to a strict schedule of staffing the store during specific hours, and the incubator will help inform her next steps as she decides to move her business into a warehouse or a store.
Also in the cohort is Michelle Robinson, CEO of DEMIblue Natural Nails, a clean and vegan nail polish brand. The company started seven years ago when Robinson's mother was unable to use regular nail polish and its harsh chemicals due while she was fighting breast cancer. DEMIblue products are currently for sale in stores, such as Fresh Thyme, but Robinson said there, she's one of thousands of products.
"To have a designated space where our products are spotlighted, we can determine if isolated retail space is a good growth opportunity for us," Robinson said.
She's also looking forward to use this new space as a place to give clients manicures or adhere press-on nails.
The incubator's name is an homage to Eric Outlaw, who owned a tattoo shop in the Grove from 2006 until he died of cancer in 2018. Outlaw served on neighborhood committees and is credited with helping transform the Grove into what it is today.
"He was pivotal to bringing business to the Grove for minority entrepreneurs," James said. "His story really needs (to be) remembered."
The cohort members are slated to meet with financial advisers, get one-on-one help from mentors, access curriculum from the Small Business Empowerment Center, take university classes on digital marketing and exit strategy, and more throughout the next year.
"They're taking a risk on their lives, personal talents, energy, money and resources," James said. "We're very hands-on with the businesses. ... We help them prepare for what life looks like after the program, something not many incubators or accelerators do."
Each participant will pay $375 a month in rent, but the money will be given back to them at the end of the program. This is so the entrepreneurs go through the routine of paying bills on time and so that they'll have over $5,000 in savings by the end of the 14 months, James said.
The store will also feature a pop-up business, which will rotate out every one to two months.
Riley said the work has been intense, but she knows she and her business will benefit from it in the long run.
"There's a lot to it, but it's to make our businesses better," she said. "I'm taking it all in. ... I've done nothing like this before."
Abdul Abdullah, Park Central Development director, said the incubator will always be for women. He said it was important to him to include Black women in the initial cohort as the organization works to support the Grove as a mixed-income and mixed-race neighborhood.
"African American women don't get the capital they need," Abdullah said. "It's important that we get these supports for the women, particularly in this stage. ... African American women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs."
Applications for a second cohort will open in November.
Retail Reporter
