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Hey! So Glad You're Here!
Est. 2015 , CirculateMKE Creative Entrepreneur Market was created to provide a fun shopping alternative to the traditional retail buying and selling experience. By organizing local entrepreneurs and artists to sell their crafts, food & unique goods in a family friendly marketplace we have helped create new opportunities for partnerships, startups and most importantly we have helped to build community while our resources and dollars ‘Circulate’!
Like many other cities, In Milwaukee local entrepreneurs, vendors and makers from disinvested communities caused by segregation are traditionally priced out of big festivals and mainstream market opportunities which limits the growth of their businesses and does not allow area consumers and shoppers fair access to fresh, new local products or services.
Our formalized CirculateMKE Creative Entrepreneur Market system and mobility allows shoppers and vendors the chance to directly support a wide variety of communities and cultures.
Location Matters
It was important for the market to represent and include all the communities in Milwaukee as well as to create economic growth for everyone. Verdin and Ali decided the only way to accomplish that was by moving the location around the city. They would approach owners of buildings that weren’t being used and ask them to use their space for the maker’s market. They have been able to bring new business to unused spaces around the city while creating relationships with building owners.
Timeline of Milestones
2015: CirculateMKE is founded by Shalina S. Ali and Fidel Verdin, launching its first pop-up creative entrepreneur market in Milwaukee with the mission of connecting diverse local vendors and fostering economic empowerment for communities of culture and a new way of doing 'Black Friday'. Our market started with integrating youth into operations through "Circulate Small" kids vendors
2015-2018: CirculateMKE rapidly expands, moving events to new venues across Milwaukee County (such as Alice’s Garden and Harbor View Plaza), hosting bi-monthly markets, and activating vacant properties with pop-up markets, entrepreneur coach up mixer events, and feedback meetings.
2019: CirculateMKE market event activations to include live music, break-dancing, and educational workshops for creative entrepreneurs. "Market Conversations", a podcast/live event series launches, creating a new platform for uplifting entrepreneurs and community storytelling.
2020: CirculateMKE continues to innovate, featuring "Circulate Virtual" markets, that's right! We went online with the rest of the world and kept circulating!
2021: Launched our own sponsored rewards system -"Circulate Dollars" - Local business partners and community members contribute to a pooled fund that redistributes money directly in to under-resourced vendors and shoppers. Partnering with groups like Community Advisory Committee , ONE MKE , PEAK Initiative & TRUE Skool to design promotional content, curate performances, do community giveback and build mentorship opportunities for young creatives.
2022–2025: CirculateMKE hosts major seasonal events (including Black Friday sales and Summer pop-ups in downtown Milwaukee) and enhances outreach with more consulting partnerships for collaborative social impact. 10 Year market Celebration!!
What's next???
CirculateMKE in the NEWS
https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/circulatemke-market-to-host-a-black-friday-sale-this-month
https://milwaukeenns.org/2020/11/27/community-businesses-plan-for-a-virtual-black-friday/