The Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority’s (VIEDA) Enterprise Zone Commission (EZC), in partnership with the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources’ (VIDPNR) Virgin Islands Council on the Arts (VICA), is seeking local, licensed small manufacturers and artisans in various industries to apply for the 2021 “Made in the USVI” Pop Up Shop on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. This shop will be open from April 19-30, 2021.
Local, licensed small manufacturers and artisans are encouraged to apply to be a vendor at the “Made in the USVI” Pop Shop on St. Thomas by, or prior to, 12PM on Friday, April 16, 2021. Applications can be downloaded
here on the
VIEDA website.The application fee is $50. All small manufacturers who are eligible to participate as a vendor at this store on St. Thomas must
1. submit a copy of their business license with their application, and
2. have all products made in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
These products must also represent USVI culture or heritage and be appealing to customers. A vendor spot(s) is only confirmed after the application and vendor fee have been submitted prior to the event.
Pop Up Stores are short-term stores temporarily established in an available space to allow customers to experience products of a business first-hand. According to statistics from Pop Up Republic, a retail marketing database, the pop-up shop industry was valued at $50 billion in 2016. Pop Up stores allow businesses, including start–ups and online businesses, to connect and form relationships with potential customers while business owners “test the waters” of having a brick-and-mortar store.
The EZC, an entity of the VIEDA; and VICA are collaborating again in this initiative to assist local, licensed small manufacturers by increasing their opportunities for business exposure and growth in the USVI and outside of the Territory.
Both organizations jointly initiated the “Made in the USVI” Pop Up Shops in 2018 to assist small manufacturers with locally-made products. The EZC recently launched a “Made in the USVI” Pop Up Shop website in March 2021. Individuals can visit the website and shop for locally-made products at
www.madeintheusvi.com . This website is being federally-funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration through the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP).
To be considered for the “Made in the USVI” Pop Up Shop, local, licensed small manufacturers and artisans must submit their application and business license to the EZC by email to
ezc@usvieda.org; or to VICA by email to
vicastt@yahoo.com or in person to the VICA office at 5070 Norre Gade, Ste. 1, St. Thomas, USVI 00802-6762.
For questions, contact Nadine Marchena Kean at 340-714-1700, ext. no. 1811.
