NEW Opportunity to Shop Local: Meet Algoma Makers

Do you already love supporting local? What if I told you that you could support DOZENS of local artists + makers... all in one place? Meet Algoma Makers Collective + Algoma Makers Market, a hub for local businesses to come together and showcase everything this talented community has to offer.

Algoma Makers Market was founded in 2021 as a way for local artists + creatives to come together and reconnect with the community after the Covid-19 pandemic. The market has been open on Sundays at The Mill Market, and is now home to over 75 (that's right... Seventy. Five.) local artists and businesses.

Enter Algoma Makers Collective - a new, more permanent storefront, right in downtown Sault Ste. Marie. Algoma Makers Collective will be taking up residency at The Pop Up Shop, a permanent brick-and-mortart storefront that hosts a rotating cast of local businesses. Algoma Makers Collective can now be shopped 5 days a week, give or take a few modified hours for special events in partnership with the Sault Ste. Marie Downtown Association.

Algoma Makers Collective + Algoma Makers Market are the brainchild of local business owner, Makayla Legge (check out her business MadeByMak on Instagram here.) As a maker + creative herself, Makayla knows the importance of supporting local businesses to foster a vibrant and thriving community. Algoma Makers Market hosts up-and-coming as well as long-running local businesses, a place for everyone to come together + bring their products to the Sault community, without needing to be tied in to an expensive, permanent storefront. This way, we can support even more local artisans + makers, in a way that seems more fair and equitable to everyone, no matter what stage they're in on their business journey.

When asked what she foresees in the future for Algoma Makers Collective, founder Makayla Legge said "I can definately see us growing so much more! I still love the idea of a permanent storefront location, hopefully in the near future, but for now I am so incredibly proud of how far Algoma Makers has come. I love that 2023 has brought me into so many different ventures like working with the DownTown Association & other community partners on so many different levels. It has given me a chance to engage more in our community than just our typical markets."

One of the best ways to support local (hint: it's free!) is to show your support on social media! Following, commenting, and sharing a post goes a long way in helping a small business grow. Find Algoma Makers Collective on Instagram here, and Algoma Makers Market here, where they regularly promote their maker's pages + share products from the artisans they're hosting.

Grand opening for the Collective is July 1, 2023, at The Pop Up Shop on Queen. They're open Tuesday to Friday 10-4, and Saturdays 12-4, with markets being open every other Sunday at The Machine Shop.

As a fierce supporter of supporting local, I am beyond excited for the grand opening of the Collective in July. The opportunity to support SO MANY local creatives in one place is something we should all be really excited about! I wish nothing but continued growth and success for Algoma Makers + Makayla for years to come