Business & Tech
Alameda Business Spotlight: Karousel Boutique
New store is an umbrella for entrepreneurs to sell unique gifts...as well a center for community events.
Owner: Susan Grant
Grand Opening: November 30, 2010
Location: 1532 Webster Street
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What products does Karousel Boutique offer? Our vendors are all local women artists, so we have a variety of hand-crafted items for sale. Also, Karousel is in a 2,700-square-foot, mixed-use space. It's huge! The back space is a community center where we will host fundraisers, networking events, mixers for Chamber members and creative classes beginning in January.
How did you first get the idea for Karousel? It came from my experience with the first business I started in 2006, Baja Nights Jewelry, after I graduated from the Women's Initiative program.
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What is the Women's Initiative? It is a non-profit organization with five training facilities in the Bay Area. The Women's Initiative helps women become actual business owners and entrepreneurs. It's been around since the 1980s, and has offered classes here in Alameda.
How did the Karousel idea grow? One of the things I realized over time was I liked to help people with their products and their business. I saw that it was extremely difficult for small artists to get into shops: It's expensive, time consuming, overwhelming and scary. I thought, why not open a boutique that encompasses growing other people's businesses.
How has the City helped? The City of Alameda Economic Development Department has been tremendously supportive of us. I went and gave them my business plan — my vision of what I hoped to have running — and they loved it. They are hoping more businesses like Karousel will come in and help bring Webster Street back to life.
How many vendors will you have at Karousel? We have 12 right now with eight more to come. Almost all of them are Women's Initiative graduates and first-time entrepreneurs. In January, we will restructure the space so we can have up to 30 vendors.
How much are you charging vendors for space? I looked at a lot of the arts collaboratives to see what they charge artists to determine a fair fee structure. For the month of December, we're charging $150 for a month for Women's Initiative graduates, $200 for non-graduates. It's a super-great deal.
The Karousel Boutique is open Tues. through Sat., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
