By Nora Heston Tarte
When Amy Sieffert, 33, was running an online boutique, she noticed a void in local events where she could showcase her inventory. There was plenty of opportunity to market her items online and in bigger cities like Sacramento and San Francisco, but she struggled to reach potential customers in her own backyard. Along with founder Katie Macrae (who has since retired from the business) she dreamed up the Stockmarket, a curated marketplace featuring art, wares, clothing and more sold by makers, artists, and businesspeople from the Central Valley and beyond.
Today Amy and her business partner Anne Wilcox, 33, (who started as a vendor at the event) host monthly “stockmarkets” in the city where they both grew up (and attended high school). “I was kind of in the same boat as Amy,” the former owner of Yard Sale Swap Shop in Chico shares. “It’s hard because I’m from Stockton and there wasn’t anything in Stockton,” Anne says. “It’s hard to open a brick and mortar.”
Since inception, the Stockmarket has been a success. The first test market (held in December 2014) drew more than 500 people. Since then it has continued to grow, and the Stockmarket celebrated its one-year anniversary as a dependable, once-a-month, all-day affair in May.
While the family- and pet-friendly experience has undoubtedly become a vehicle for small, local businesses to engage with customers and display their talents in a lively atmosphere, the purpose is two-fold. Amy and Anne agree they hope to help change the perception of Stockton with their venture by calling on good talent from bigger cities to join in.
However, Amy assures, “We do want to focus on very local—Stockton, Modesto, Lodi.”
While plans are to continue business as usual (with monthly pop-ups on Weber Avenue), Amy and Anne say they are making an effort to increase the Stockmarket’s focus on art, which includes a partnership with 1850 Collective—a new, underground art group in Stockton.
If you haven’t visited yet, here’s your chance. The next date is scheduled for June 18. In addition to browsing clothing, furniture, custom leather goods, jewelry, body products, original art, home and garden décor, and vintage items, San Joaquin artisan caterers and food trucks provide food and drink for the day while local bands play to the crowds.
“We’re really trying to get a little bit of everything,” Anne says. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Join in the Fun:
Stockmarket
630 E. Weber Ave., Stockton
Stockmarketca.com
@stockmarketca