Northside Marketplace Tour & Entrepreneur Lecture

Northside Marketplace is a dynamic mixed-used retail incubator in Akron, Ohio. Featuring a number of eateries, a shared common lounge, and over sixty retail vendors of varying sizes all under one roof. Students and educators will receive a guided tour of the facility, with Justin Lepley, Director of the Marketplace, and founder of Lepley & Co., a plant boutique and florist shop, with locations at Northside, in Downtown Massillon, and Uniontown. During the discussion, Justin will not only share how the Marketplace works to serve all of its entrepreneurs and community members, but will also provide an enthusiastic reflection of the growth and struggles of his own business, from a roadside plant stand, to a thriving enterprise with three locations. Students will meet with at least one other Northside Marketplace vendor. The discussion can be flexibly curated to suit the class level, and to incorporate specific subject matter relevant to the classroom curriculum.  Students will be able to ask the vendors questions and see firsthand how an idea can turn into a business. This experience can be as interactive as the students and educators wish. Our food vendors are available to cater boxed lunches or snacks for an additional charge, or participants are welcome to bring packed lunches and eat on-site.  You can learn more about our facility, vendors, and what we offer at NorthsideMarketplace.com.  Please feel free to reach out with any specific questions or requests.