July 10, 2026
Lifestyle marketplace Open Market has curated a Summer Atelier for all your shopping needs
For New Yorkers who want to shop small as they beat the summer heat, the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation has announced the launch of its second Yard Opportunity Shop storefront. The Summer Atelier, run by Black-owned lifestyle marketplace Open Market, features products from 15 BIPOC brands and will be open five days a week through Aug. 22.
The Yard Opportunity Shop retail incubator program gives small, minority- and women-owned businesses the chance to operate out of a retail space at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on a three-month rotation.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Open Market to the Yard Opportunity Shop. Their mission to uplift small business owners and celebrate the diverse cultures of entrepreneurs across the country strongly aligns with Navy Yard’s vision,” said Lindsay Greene, president and CEO of the BNYDC, in a statement.
Founder Imani Schectman launched Open Market in 2020 as a then-virtual lifestyle marketplace centered around showcasing emerging BIPOC entrepreneurs.
“I built Open Market to elevate BIPOC creators and help their brands thrive. Having a brick-and-mortar space to bring people together has always been a goal of mine, and I’m thrilled to embark on this experience at the Brooklyn Navy Yard,” said Schectman in a statement. “The Summer Atelier is a beautiful celebration of culture and creativity, and I can’t wait to share the works of these amazing emerging brands with the broader Brooklyn community.”
Schectman spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE exclusively about how BIPOC brands can get a foot in the door for retail opportunities:
How do you choose which brands to participate in your activations?
We take a deliberately organic and personal approach when choosing which brands to feature in our activations. Rather than relying on a single pipeline, we blend targeted research with community‑driven discovery. Some partnerships begin with our own strategic scouting, identifying brands whose values, creative direction, and audience alignment complement our vision. After running Open Market for six years now, we’ve also been able to create partnerships more naturally through word of mouth, referrals, and ongoing conversations within our growing network.
This mix allows us to stay both intentional and adaptable: research ensures we’re curating brands that fit our standards, while personal connections help us uncover emerging voices and cultivate collaborations that feel authentic. The result is a roster shaped by genuine alignment, shared energy, and a sense of mutual possibility.
How do you prepare those brands for these kinds of retail marketplaces?
Preparing emerging brands for retail marketplaces is a hands‑on, collaborative process for us. We start with the basics, making sure each brand has a functioning website, a clear social presence, and the capacity to meet production and inventory needs. Those fundamentals matter, but they’re only part of the picture. We also provide resources for our brands, sharing pro tips on the latest trends and keys for success, as well as opportunities to connect with industry leaders and organizations. Having these brands plugged into our community prior to the Summer Atelier opening at the Brooklyn Navy Yard has helped make the process more seamless.
We’re creating a marketplace filled with great products and services, yes, but we’re also building a community that strengthens us as people and as creators. What’s most important for us at Open Market is that the brands we work with are similarly community‑focused and genuinely aligned with what we’re building. We look for partners who believe in the larger vision and want to grow alongside us. That shared commitment is what makes these partnerships meaningful and sustainable.
What do you think emerging BIPOC brands can do to better position themselves for opportunities?
Emerging BIPOC-owned brands can better position themselves by strengthening both their foundations and their visibility. On the foundational side, having a polished website, a clear social presence, and reliable production and inventory systems is essential. Retail partners and marketplaces need to know a brand can meet demand, communicate effectively, and show up consistently.
Beyond the basics, the biggest differentiator is clarity of identity and community connection. Brands that understand their story, their audience, and the cultural value they bring tend to stand out. Our Yard Opportunity Shop storefront and other pop-ups we’ve done give our brands visibility and access to a community of locals and potential new shoppers. Leaning into community, whether that’s local networks, digital communities, or industry circles, creates momentum and opens doors that traditional pathways sometimes overlook.
Something I’ve learned is the importance of founders approaching opportunities with a collaborative mindset and being totally obsessed with making their business thrive. I’ve often thought to myself that I’ve had to be nearly delusional about Open Market’s success to keep driving the mission and the vision forward. The brands that thrive are the ones willing to grow with partners, invest in relationships, and see themselves as part of something larger. Infrastructure gets you ready for the opportunity; community and alignment help you sustain it.
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