Label: My Biz

CEDAR RAPIDS — It’s been a little less than a month, but The Shop, located in the historic car repair shop on the corner of Third Street SE and 16th Avenue SE in the NewBo neighborhood, seems to be settling right in.

Owner Lauri Martensen, of Cedar Rapids, moved into the NewBo neighborhood about a year ago after living in Anamosa for several years and owning and operating a boutique called Spark with a business partner for the past five years.

“That was a great experience and the only reason that we chose to close is that we both were feeling a draw in a different direction,” Martensen said.

“For me, it was to move into a bigger market and do something a little different and for her it was to be with her family.”

Martensen said it was a little bit of serendipity to have The Shop open in NewBo, a neighborhood she said she’s come to love since moving in.

“I live here now, I work here and I play here,” she said. “I really like to personally feel invested in where I am.

“And I also just obviously love watching the diversity of the community in so many ways — the people, the events, the activities and the businesses from all the different retail to the restaurant and just all that the area offers is very appealing.”

Plus, she said the historic building, the site of the former Skelly Oil gas station, is a huge draw.

“It's such a unique little building that gets a lot of attention really, so when I saw that it was available, I thought it would be really fun for it to be a building that people could come into. There wasn’t retail in this space prior to me being in here, so I think people are enjoying coming in and seeing it.”

Martensen said recently a group of sisters came in whose grandfather owned the building decades ago when it was a garage.

“The conversations that come from people stopping is the best part about what I do,” she said. “I try to read people and give people space as they shop as some people would rather not talk which is totally fine, but some people really enjoy conversation and it's such a small space that it's just really organic here and it’s my favorite.”

The Shop, carrying women’s clothing and accessories, opened at the end of September.

“I know how I want people to feel when they leave this door, and how important it is for me for people to leave with things that they're going to love, Martensen added.

“I don’t want them to buy something that is going to stay in their closet. I want to make sure people feel fully satisfied.

“... Here in NewBo we are going to get some people that aren’t from the area. But my favorite is to establish a relationship with a customer and know what they really like.”

The Shop’s offerings, Martensen said, are still unfolding.

“I watch and listen because it's really important to me to see what customers want. I think the only way that I can really feel like I can succeed is to do what I love but also be flexible with the needs and desires of others.”

Martensen said The Shop won’t really cater to teens and women in their early 20s.

“I like things that are pretty classic, like a good quality turtleneck that you can pair with fun, trendy accessories,” she said. “I want people to find a good quality piece they can wear for several years in a row, timeless but with a bit of trend.”

For now, Martensen is running the full show.

“I'm the buyer from the store so I go to market and I hand pick everything. I really like to feel the fabrics and see the sizing,” she said.

“And I also do the finances, take the photos, handle social media and clean the toilets. I’m literally doing it all and it’s a lot to balance. But I feel so grateful for the opportunity and really didn't know that a year ago when I moved into NewBo that it would unfold the way it has.”

Do you know a business in the Corridor that really should be featured as a “My Biz”? Tell us about it at michaelchevy.castranova@thegazette.com.