Regency Centers and Melrose Market: Small Business Saturday Night Market
Melrose Night Market
Community = Good Business. This is the Polite Society motto, and it’s at the heart of everything we do. In 2019, we were approached to throw a winter event for Melrose Market on Capitol Hill.
As we brainstormed concepts, we decided the best date for such an event would be on Small Business Saturday, a day dedicated to supporting your neighborhood businesses and uplifting the local economy. With an event space on the bottom floor, this was the perfect location for our Night Market.
Melrose Market itself is comprised of small, local businesses with a common thread; they all value local, sustainable, premium products. By partnering with Seattle Made, a local nonprofit, whose mission aligns with the market business’ beliefs, we were able to bring in 22 makers to create a European holiday-inspired bazaar.
The footprint of the building was such that we could flow the foot traffic from the upstairs Melrose Market tenants down to the bazaar space downstairs. We were also able to leverage the reach of the businesses and the nonprofit partner to generate more attendance and interest in the event. A win-win for all involved!
On Saturday, November 30th, we filled Melrose Market Studios with the local makers who create everything from handcrafted jewelry to caramels, perfumes and much more! In addition to visiting the market and bazaar, visitors could buy raffle tickets to win one of three baskets filled with a mix of themed goods from Melrose Market and Seattle Made vendors, with all proceeds benefiting Seattle Made.
The day after Black Friday is naturally a busy day for Melrose Market’s tenants, with an influx of holiday customers in Seattle looking for places to dine and shop. To ensure customers were welcomed to the market, we placed local buskers throughout the upstairs space to give it a lively and cohesive feel. A guitarist serenaded diners and shoppers on Melrose Market’s main floor, along with a balloon artist and origami artist who dazzled visitors with a little piece of art they could take home with them. In the event space below, the scene was set by another musician playing holiday songs, an artist who created poetry and watercolor prints for attendees, and a hilarious puppet show that entertained children and adults alike.
A steady flow of shoppers moved throughout the space during the four-hour market, starting off their holiday shopping season by benefiting both local businesses and a nonprofit whose goal is to support Seattle’s diverse local ecosystem of makers.
It was the combination of neighborhood businesses, local artists, and a community nonprofit working together that made this event memorable. When the community comes together, the results are undeniable. It ensures good business.
Check out our Melrose Night Market video below!
Polite Society Picks - Shop Small in Seattle
Photo by Yvonne Chan at Ritual
Here at Polite Society we are big fans of supporting other small businesses, so for this installment of our blog we asked our staff to share their favorite place to shop small in Seattle.
Hans: Retrofit Home. Not just a furniture/home furnishings store - they always seem to find something fresh and local - Plus for 14 years they have been doing a $100 and under group art show supporting some great local artists. Love!
Shelby: Baleen in Ballard is my go-to shop for unique, handmade jewelry & accessories for myself, as well as interesting gifts for others. The owners are fans of of good design and believe that thoughtful, beautiful objects don't always have to be expensive (bless them). It also doesn't hurt that it's a couple blocks from my house, so I can pop by in a pinch and always find something special!
Yvonne Chien: Prism in Ballard is an amazing, carefully curated shop with beautiful clothing, accessories, and home wares. It's a great place to go when you want to beautify your home or closet, and when you have an empty wallet it's also the perfect shop to discover artists who sell uniquely designed items!
Serene: I love to roam around Swanson's Nursery. I'm not good at keeping my plants alive yet... but I'm learning! It's fun wandering through their various plant displays as well as grabbing a bite at their cafe, watching the koi and perusing their shop for jewelry, books and general home decor.
Chuck: When I want something special like a suit, Kuhlman on 1st Avenue. When I want to just look for something for me, Pacific Galleries Antique Mall. Great finds and some amazing midcentury and northwest art. There are a lot of small places I like, Melrose Market, Chop House, Stock & Pantry.... I could go on but will leave it here.
Desmond: Jive Time in Fremont has an amazing selection of records and the staff is very knowledgable. The only downside is that every time I go, I end up spending way too much money on records! :)
Yvonne Chan: I love the Plant Shop on Pine St. in Capitol Hill! They have an excellent selection of low-maintenance plants and friendly staff that will help you find something you only need to water once a month!
Sarah: I love Ritual on Capitol Hill. I wear something from there nearly every day, and it is close enough I can stop by for a Tarot reading on my lunch break or a glass of wine after work!
Dru: Is Mudbay small? (Like his beloved cat, Dru is a man of few words)