Sharing is one of the first things that we learned as children. How sharing is showing up in today’s marketplace is with building owners or building renters willing to sublet space to other small businesses that may not be able to get into a building on their own, or just don’t need a large space. These kinds of retail environments are popping up all over the country and they are particularly well-suited for rural communities. They are sort of like mini-malls on Main Streets, side streets and generally anywhere that can accommodate a building! Each are unique in what they offer and provide to their communities. They are also a great attraction for visitors.
How they generally work: You have the owner of a building or someone who is leasing a building and is willing to sublet sections of the space to artists and crafters at a fee well below what it would cost to run the shop as a single vendor. This allows for a wider variety of goods and many one-of-a-kind items.
Well, we have these shared retail spaces right in our communities and they are a big hit! This is a trend that is really making a mark in rural communities across the country and if you are a small business just getting started and wanting to test the waters, or an established business wanting to get your product to a broader audience, this is really a great option.
