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LocalLex Market owners Merritt Carbajal and Karen Gomez. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
What began as a leap of faith by two mothers who were chasing their own creative business dreams has evolved into a successful operation that’s bolstering the careers of dozens of additional Kentucky creatives.
Since launching in March 2021, Local Lex Market, an eclectic retail shop on Southland Drive highlighting Kentucky artists, and artisans, has quickly grown to include nearly 90 vendors from across the state. The shop features a wide variety of handmade items, ranging from cookie dough, candles and jewelry to T-shirts, hats, Kentucky-themed gift items and more.
Karen Gomez and Merritt Carbajal took their first steps toward starting their business in November 2019 after attending Rachel Hollis’ Rise Business Conference together in Charleston, South Carolina. The two women, who each had a full-time job but ran their own T-shirt business as a “side hustle” at the time, left the conference feeling inspired enough pursue their businesses full-time. The women quit their day jobs and merged visions, establishing a clothing brand called 2 Mother Hustlers.
Selling their wares at local craft festivals, they quickly built up a devout client base and soon needed more space. But with the onset of NTI [non-traditional instruction] during the early days of the pandemic, running a business from home while also balancing family and school responsibilities from home started to feel like a lot. Plus, the duo was also attracted to the idea of providing a physical location to engage and connect with their clientele. Leasing an outside space to run their business became a priority.
After looking at several spots around town, the ladies accidentally stumbled on the current location of their retail shop while checking out the vacant space next to it. Located in the same shopping center that houses Good Foods Co-Op, the 9,000-square-feet building provided ample room to store and produce inventory. But it also had space for more, and Gomez and Carbajal decided to use that extra floor space to welcome other like-minded makers.
However, soon the market will have more to offer than just local merchandise. Local Lex Market will celebrate its one year anniversary on March 19 with a celebration featuring giveaways and samples; many featured vendors will be onsite as well. The celebration will also be the launch of the market’s forthcoming customer lounge, where patrons can grab a coffee or a beer, work, read, catch up with friends and more.
“We truly believe that everyone can be successful if people help to build each other up,” said Gomez. “That’s why it’s so important for us to build a community – not just to ensure our success but to also help other folks with a creative vision similar to ours flourish and thrive, doing what they love.”