Common Ground, a new retail space that stocks local brands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines has opened at the Cruise Ship Terminal in Kingstown.
The concept is the brain child of local designers Ikesha Delpesche of the brand Ngozi and Odini Sutherland of the brand Peta Odini.
The idea of a collective retail space is not a new one and Delpesche, whose boutique was in the space, was already stocking other local brands.
However, with this new iteration, the idea of a collective space has grown exponentially and as of May 2, the store now houses 23 local brands, retailing a range of products from fashion apparel and accessories, to fragrance, skin care products, footwear, books and art.
The aim of the store is to create a dynamic shopping environment with something local to offer customers for every occasion while also making it convenient for the public to support local brands.
Some of the current brands include Kimya Glasgow, Fashion is Payne, Severn Skincare, Tokenz, Zen Punnett Art, Ngozi and Peta Odini.
“Many local entrepreneurs are not in a position to afford to rent a whole commercial space on their own, as many are also working full time jobs alongside their businesses. Therefore, Common Ground is seeking to be a viable solution for them to be able to get their products to market, in a well-designed space,” Sutherland, co-founder of Common Ground, said.
She said the Cruise Ship Terminal is a very convenient location, offering parking in capital Kingstown and is also the first point of contact for cruise ship passengers.
The space also it lends itself to events and activities, which is another area that the duo is focusing on in an effort to increase foot traffic not just to Common Ground but to other neighbouring store that sell local products such as Tide, Sand & Hand by Maraika Young and Jazzy’s All Natural.
“The response to the store has been overwhelming so far, and we are beyond thankful that people understand what we are trying to do,” Delpesche said. “At present, we are almost at capacity, but we are still receiving requests from other brands who are interested in stocking with us.”
The team is now planning their second pop up event after their official launch on May 28. The next event, which is slated for May 26, will be a collaboration with Montserrat based, Vincentian aesthetician, Monique Arthur, who will host a skincare and wellness pop up shop.
This event will also provide an opportunity to highlight and showcase more local skincare, make up and wellness brands.