AKRON, Ohio -- The new Northside Marketplace, soon to open on the ground floor of the Northside Lofts, is designed as more than a shopping destination.

With support from Downtown Akron Partnership and the Knight Foundation, Testa Companies' new indoor marketplace, planned to open in October, will serve as a kind of incubator to help startup companies grow, while offering Akronites a unique place to shop and gather.

"It's unique for a developer to present multiple opportunities for business owners looking for the next step in their business," said Christine Vadala, director of business development, Downtown Akron Partnership.

The new shopping locale is expected to factor strongly in the city's effort to boost Akron's vibrancy.

"Successful cities have a cluster of retail pockets that make people want to go explore that city," said Kyle Kutuchief, Knight Foundation's Akron program director. "Getting those clusters going again is really good, and the marketplace is cool because it's that."

The idea allows 35 slots for startups to operate in a brick and mortar location without going it alone.

"The businesses will get a location that's affordable and get to share best practices with other businesses," Kutuchief said. "It it works they're rocking and rolling in a great location and if it doesn't work they can move on without taking out a six-figure loan."

Loitering is encouraged

The Northside Marketplace will feature wares ranging from food and spirits, including craft beer, wine and champagne, to merchandise and gaming.

Only two spots are unspoken for.

Three local anchor business will help stabilize the marketplace: Rubber City Clothing, Dirty River Bicycle Works and Sure House Coffee Roasting. Other well known Akron companies also will have a presence, such as Akron Honey Co., Not Yo Daddy's Hot Sauce and the NORKA Beverage Co.

The vendors will share a 10,000-square-foot space designed with a gathering area near the food vendors, offering seating from couches to table tops, all around large-screen TVs.

A phone app will be available so groups can tune the TVs to their phones for sound, to make watching games and special events easier.

An equal playing field

The vendors will occupy different size spaces. Smaller startups without a lot of inventory will display their wares in a shared area known as "Made in Akron," while the more established businesses will have larger spaces.

To assist vendors who must keep other jobs but want to keep their products available, a central checkout area will be manned by the vendors on a rotating basis, with each company committed to working the checkout eight hours per month.

The Northside Marketplace will feature vendors with wares ranging from food and spirits, including craft beer, wine and champagne, to merchandise and gaming. Only two spots are unspoken for.

To help the startups understand marketing, inventory and displays, Knight Foundation provided a grant to bring on board Joanna Wilson, who worked closely with Crafty Mart, Akron's popular indie handmade good marketplace.

Wilson will work day-to-day with the companies to help them get in contact with useful resources, including angel investors, lenders, accountants, commercial developers and others that can help forward the businesses.

Organizers hope by eliminating that risky step between working in basements and garages and opening a shop, they can draw other small businesses into the light.

"We think this can be a prototype for a marketplace we can use in other communities," Vadala said.

Inspired by Better Block

Testa Companies President Joel Testa and his wife, Cassie, came up with the idea while perusing the Cuyahoga Falls Better Block in 2015.

The couple wanted to do something with local startups and liked the idea of the popups they saw at the event. But it was Cassie who realized the concept would be perfect for an indoor market.

"It's been an interesting evolution," Testa said. "At first it wasn't that elaborate. But Cassie had an 'ah ha' moment. It's all these little hot spots and it's all about local. That's our goal; to help create a whole bunch of successful entrepreneurs."

Testa has been told by local Millennials that being able to shop with purpose and help a business live the American dream is more important then ever.

"It's all about shop local and shop here," Testa said.

Situated next to Dante Boccuzzi Akron and the Courtyard by Marriott Akron Downtown, and across the street from Jilly's Music Room, Luigi's and several art studios, the marketplace is expected to showcase the best of Akron.

"It's so Akron," Vadala said. "It's going to be such a great destination to witness Akron in 10,000 square feet, but also for people coming from the counties surrounding us. It's a great representation."

For more information, follow the Northside Marketplace website and on Facebook.

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