Organizers of the Holiday Reimagined pop-up market at Edina's Galleria mall had hoped to promote shopping local without drawing too big of a crowd. They required free, timed tickets to enter and provided contactless ways to shop.
But after Gov. Tim Walz announced new COVID-19 restrictions last month, they decided to cancel the in-person event altogether.
"We thought we had the ideal event planned, with safety being the number one thing in mind. Of course, bringing people together is what we love to do, but it's the wrong thing to do right now," said organizer Mollie Windmiller, owner and creative director at marketing company LAB MPLS.
Instead of an in-person market, Holiday Reimagined is now a contactless display, where window shoppers can purchase locally made goods like abstract painted ornaments or hand-embroidered sweatshirts by scanning a QR code with their phone. It's running through December in the windows of the former Gabberts store.
Plenty of Minnesotans have pledged to shop local this upended holiday season to support community makers and small businesses. But with many holiday markets going virtual, keeping it local might be a bit harder this year.
Alternatives to Amazon still abound for those willing to make a little effort. Shoppers can explore Minnesota artisans' work online in many places — from individual websites and Etsy pages to the shelves of local shops that are available online.
They also can outsource the search entirely by purchasing curated gift boxes, relying on virtual personal shoppers and curbside pickup at local shops or doing it the old-fashioned way: in-store shopping. (Many, but not all local shops are open, but limit the number of shoppers.)
Minneapolis candlemaker Emma Remer, who refills vintage containers with scented wax to make her Burnboss Candles (burnbosscandles.com), decided to offer virtual shopping appointments on her website in place of in-person markets.
