ALTOONA, Iowa — A one-stop shop for all things local. That's what customers will experience at a new store in the metro, JnM Marketplace.
Madison Lukehart wanted a store that would be able to provide central Iowa customers the best products from people who live in their area.
"I mean owning my own storefront has kind of been my lifelong dream," the owner said.
The store has goods from 18 vendors so far, but the space is able to display items from up to 90.
The reason Lukehart wanted only local vendors' items in the store is that she wants customers to know where their products are coming from.
"They're buying from a family," she said. "They're not buying from someone overseas, they're buying from someone they could meet at the grocery store kind of thing. I think that connection really brings the buyer in."
Items in the store range from homemade earrings to home goods and also includes food like popcorn. Price points start as low as a quarter and go to $65.
Some of the vendors in the store started their businesses during the pandemic due to being laid off or just having more time to focus on their craft.
"It's just great to give them a storefront to be in," Lukehart said.
RELATED: This restaurant was designed to be low-staff. COVID mandates meant it had to hire more people.
In addition to areas where vendors can sell their items, the store has an open space that can be used for pop-up stores or community events.
"I would love just to have families coming in here and hanging out and using that event space for that kind of thing even," Lukehart said. "I feel like we've lost our sense of community here in the area and I would love to be the center point of that."
The store opened Friday morning, and is located at the Outlets of Des Moines near the Skechers Factory Outlet.
WATCH: Flying Mango reopens, but struggles with supply issues