Walking along the streets of downtown Saginaw, one is surrounded by the shadow of a city once vibrant and alluring to any opportunistic entrepreneur. Years of being home to various industrial sites has transformed the city many times over, often pushing away small and local businesses. In recent years, the downtown district has begun to revitalize and entice small ventures back to the area. The SVRC Marketplace has played a vital role in making downtown Saginaw attractive to local merchants once again.
Living up to its name, the Saginaw Valley Rehabilitation Center (SVRC) is aiding in the rehabilitation of downtown Saginaw. Located at 203 S. Washington Ave, the SVRC Marketplace guides and supports local entrepreneurs in their growth and development as well as providing a shopping center with a diverse assortment of shops and eateries.
Located in a food desert, downtown Saginaw was needing a place that could provide fresh produce and groceries for the community. SVRC Industries recognized that need and wanted to have a role in filling the void.
The SVRC Marketplace formed five years ago as an extension of the services offered by SVRC Industries. SVRC Industries has been a part of the Saginaw community for over 60 years, providing opportunities for those with disabilities as well as working with well-known programs in the area such as Michigan Works and My Voice My Choice. SVRC Industries can add the Marketplace to their list of programs and services they offer to the Saginaw community.
Rachel Caudy, general manager of SVRC Marketplace, speaks about how the idea of the Marketplace came to be.
“The CEO at the time wanted to take it to the next level and came up with the concept of the SVRC Marketplace — offering fresh fruits and vegetables all year round, as much as possible because of the food desert location.”
Caudy mentions how the Marketplace wanted to aid in the food desert issue but was also eager to help small business entrepreneurs get started and grow.
“Our mission was entrepreneurial growth in our community,” says Caudy. “We are offering a space for anyone who wants to start a small business to be able to have that opportunity.”
Caudy and the SVRC Marketplace back up their mission statement with actions. The Marketplace takes care to ensure there are as little startup costs as possible when opening a business in their building. The Marketplace will cover the utility costs for the duration of the tenant’s stay and offers a variety of rental spaces with varying rental rates, allowing for everyone to give their business a go.
“We’re not here to make tons of money, we are here to provide for the community and that’s what I love about my position.”
The first step in providing for the community was bringing in fresh produce. To that end, the Marketplace reached out to the Saginaw Farmers’ Market, located just down the street on Washington Avenue.
“The CEO at the time, reached out to them and offered them our beautiful pavilion at a very reasonable cost.”
The first year the Marketplace opened its pavilion to the Saginaw Farmers’ Market, they charged only $1.00 for local farmers and crafters to rent space and bring their wares for sale.
“It only made sense,” says Caudy, “that both of the markets in downtown Saginaw and Riverfront Saginaw collaborated, bringing together everything that is needed for the community.”
The Farmer’s Market is open from late May through October on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. When visiting the Saginaw Farmers’ Market, one can purchase a bouquet of locally grown flowers, enjoy an assortment of fresh produce, and even snatch up some ready-to-make soup mixes, bakery mixes and more. Once one is satisfied with their purchases at the farmers’ market, they may step inside the SVRC Marketplace and continue their shopping journey by perusing the many vendors inside.
The ever-changing vendors and retailers of the Marketplace keep guests coming back and looking for who is new. With over 30 vendors currently inside the Marketplace, the concept is to have a constant rotation of businesses. Successful businesses eventually breaking out of the Marketplace and purchasing their own brick and mortar storefront.
“It’s the opportunity for someone to start their business, learn the trade of the business and see if owning a small business is for them,” says Caudy, “it’s an incubator business startup.”
Sushi Remix was one of the Marketplace’s first tenants and used the Marketplace as a springboard to jumpstart their business. They are now thriving in their own space in Uptown Bay City. Audiogazing is another vendor that began at the Marketplace and has since upgraded into their own storefront in downtown Saginaw.
Constant transformation and reformation give downtown Saginaw a unique story, one the city is keen on remembering. The SVRC Marketplace reflects how Saginaw changes while remembering the past.
The Marketplace building was once home to The Saginaw News. When The Saginaw News sold its building in 2012 to an LLC, SVRC Industries purchased it in 2014. After years of remodeling and revamping the space, the Marketplace opened its doors in 2018, housing over 40 businesses upon opening.
Maintaining the historical integrity of the building was vital for the Marketplace. Receiving more than $22 million dollars in grant funds, one of the larger funds received was the historic grant fund. Working within the parameters of the grant’s guidelines, the Marketplace could update and renovate as long as they kept the historical integrity of the building.
When walking through the Marketplace one will see signs that are reminiscent of a once bustling newsroom. Signs leading guests to the “editor’s lounge” or “press room” help guide one’s way through the Marketplace while keeping the memory of the newsroom alive. Maintaining the historical integrity of the building extends to the exterior where restrictions were put in place on how the façade of the building can be updated. The SVRC Marketplace was able to put their letters, S, V, R, and C, outside of the building because it mimicked how the Saginaw Daily News had their signage out, spelling “NEWS.” Other than that minor change, the exterior will remain intact as it was when it was operating as the Saginaw Daily News. Standing as a reminder and ode of what once was, while still growing and transforming the space to what the community needs and craves for today.
Addressing the community’s direct needs was the foremost desire of the SVRC Marketplace. Five successful years of growth has given the Marketplace the opportunity to extend its reach even further into the community by hosting community events. Comic Con will be returning this year inside the Marketplace, as well as a first ever comedy show underneath the pavilion.
“There’s nothing better than when we create a community event—like Christmas in July—and the place fills up with people and they are laughing and smiling and just having a really great experiences,” says Caudy.
Reminiscing on how far the Marketplace has come, Caudy sees no end to the Marketplace’s outreach.
“It’s a very surreal moment when I can take a look around at all the small businesses and they’re making money, they’re fulfilling the community engagement, and it just seems to come together; I am very proud and excited to see where we are going to go.”
Janus Bard 