Artisans market and studio opens in downtown Marine City

Marine City is home to a new artisans market.The historic Miller’s building in downtown Marine City has been reinvigorated with the opening of MC Marketplace, a local artisans retail shop and studio.

Having opened in August 2018, the shop recently hosted a grand opening celebration and open house to show off its two studios where they host workshops. Classes include sugar skull painting, harvest wreath making, and more.

Marine City native Jessica Blakely opened MC Marketplace with her husband. The couple returned to Marine City after several years away.

"Marine City has changed a lot since I was a kid. It’s really evolving. I wanted to come back and help it grow even more," Blakely says.

"It’s changed a lot in 25 years. It’s cool to see outsiders come in to visit."

A fan of the arts, Blakely opened MC Marketplace to provide a venue for other artists to sell their wares. There are currently 45 different vendors, and the vast majority of them live within a 30-minute radius of downtown Marine City.

The items carried offer an eclectic range of styles, including pieces made of clay, ceramic, water and oil paintings, welded sculptures, hand-painted furniture, and more. MC Marketplace also carries products like locally roasted coffee, homemade dog treats, and all-natural beauty products.

Blakely herself repurposes found items, including old furniture and accessories. She says she likes to find random things and make them useful, like the old tractor tire she turned into a chandelier that’s hanging in the store.

As the calendar changes, Blakely is preparing for the holiday season. She plans on taking part in downtown’s Maritime Christmas celebration on Nov. 1 and is working on lining up a visit from Santa Claus for Christmas following that.

MC Marketplace is located at 334 S. Water St. in downtown Marine City.

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