The Retail Lab Pop Up Store in Downtown Concord Features Products from Graduates of the Retail Lab Boot Camp.
🧼 Meet Nicole Fodeke, a Retail Lab graduate and small business owner of Be Handmade Natural Soaps, which are made in small batches using the cold process method. She has been gaining knowledge about branding and marketing, e-commerce, as well as point-of-sale, and inventory through the Retail Lab Boot Camp.
What is the Retail Lab?
- The program includes an application-based, six-week immersive Boot Camp held at the Cabarrus Center, followed by an opportunity for new retailers to test out their concept in the Retail Lab Pop Up Store, located on Union Street.
- Minority and Women Business Enterprises are eligible to secure grant funding through the program.
We are grateful to have this business incubator here in Cabarrus County at the Cabarrus Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship with support from the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation and through a partnership between the Flywheel Foundation and the Small Business Center at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.
What’s Happening Now?
- The Spring Retail Lab Boot Camp is now accepting applications through February 28, 2023, from early-stage and pre-launch (think, working out of your garage or spare bedroom) retail business owners in Cabarrus and Rowan Counties.
🏬 BONUS: It includes a stint at the Retail Lab Pop Up Store which gives shoppers an opportunity to be the first to try out new items and give valuable feedback to local startups.
💻 Coming soon: An online store! While we would love to see you browsing through downtown stores on Union, the Retail Lab graduates will have another way to sell soon…online! Follow the Retail Lab’s Instagram and Facebook pages for more details.
Meet the local entrepreneurs behind each of the products at the Pop Up! Every time you shop, you directly support one or more entrepreneurs from our community who are all working towards growing their retail businesses.
Learn more about the Retail Lab Program on the Cabarrus Center’s website.
Planning to visit? Tell ’em Cabarrus Weekly sent ya!
