Winter West Market Showcases West Duluth Small Businesses

Shoppers Encouraged to Shop Local

DULUTH, Minn.- West Duluth was the place to be for holiday shoppers as small businesses put out some deals, to help keep money flowing through the community.

Normally when one thinks of a market, they think of an open air collection of vendors in one spot.

But the Winter West Market is a little different.

“There are I think 8–10 vendors in the area who are running specials.”

Those vendors are actual stores.

For one day these neighborhood shops are banding together to get people to shop for the holidays, locally.

“Everybody knows it’s a lot easier to go to a big department store and visit the different departments in that store, and kind of knock off your holiday shopping, or to shop from your sofa, online,” said Angel Dobrow, co-owner of Zenith Bookstore.

Zenith is one of the participating businesses.

They’re offering free gift wrapping, and honoring an Icelandic tradition of giving books and chocolate for the holidays.

But co–owner Angel Dobrow said the market is about more than following that different tradition.

“It helps keep communities thriving, and self sufficient,” she said.

“Keep more money in the community, that’s the important part.”

Joy Herbert, owner of Little Neetchers baby store had the initial idea for the market.

The community plays a big part in the store, which has a play area for community babies to stretch their legs and their imaginations.

Herbert received help from Joanne Leland, owner of Duluth Antique Marketplace.

Leland said a day showcasing small businesses is especially important in West Duluth.

“Especially for us down here in West Duluth, we’re kinda, it’s kinda dwindling with the Kmart that went out of here,” she said.

Participating business owners stress that the marketplace was not the only day to shop local, with more sales and promotions coming soon.

Selling antiques of all varieties, West Duluth shoppers can trust that they’ll find what they need at the Marketplace, according to Leland.

Because, she said, her store is rooted in the community.

“We’ve grown up here, we know the place, we’re part of the community,” Leland said. “With the people that come into our store and say ‘oh, I’m looking for this,’ we can actually go out and hunt for something like that that they’re looking for.”