× Expand Photo by Madeline Nachbar Grand Collective

It was a rough year for Grand Avenue, as a wave of store closings left the iconic St. Paul street feeling emptier than ever. Traditions left to consolidate in St. Louis Park, Creative Kidstuff filed for bankruptcy, and The North Face closed both its St. Paul and Uptown locations. On the food front, new restaurants Red Rabbit, Hyacinth, and Grand Catch seem to be booming.

But good news, Grand Ave. goers! The Grand Collective, a collaborative pop-up–style retail store, is slated to open tomorrow. The concept, spearheaded by luxury consignment store Mona Williams owner Patric Richardson (AKA the laundry evangelist), brings local retail veterans under the same roof as new-to-the-scene makers and artists. Richardson teamed up with retailers June Resale, Moth Oddities, Jax & Henley, Shop In The City, and Scout (who will operate out of this location until construction at its W. 7th St. flagship concludes), as well as makers Hagen & Oats, Minnesota Made, and WAAM Industries to stock the shelves of this holiday pop-up.

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"I've wanted to put a store on Grand Ave. for eons," says Richardson, a current St. Paul resident. "But I didn't want a huge store."

The store will also act as a stockist for a rotating selection of local goods by brands like NICE NICE, Medicinal Blends, and Excelsior Candle Co.

The collective will open in the former Ann Taylor space (the former former Restoration Hardware) across from Golden Fig Fine Foods, which happens to be one of Richardson's favorite stores in the Twin Cities.

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Richardson will leave the vintage to June Resale's Daune Stinson and Moth Oddities' Yana Pietras and Ian O'Neill to focus entirely on his laundry and cleaning products, plus a selection of bath and body goods. He'll also host his laundry camps inside the shop every Tuesday night—where he shares trusted tips and tricks for the laundry room.

As of now, The Grand Collective is set to stay open through the end of the year. According to Richardson, he signed a flexible lease and hopes to stay on longer if all goes as planned.

"I'm thrilled that the collective will act as a launch pad for businesses looking to test the waters on Grand Avenue," says Richardson.

The Grand Collective, 791 Grand Ave., St. Paul.