Unique Markets, the premier nationwide curated pop-up marketplace that features local designers, artists, and independent brands, announced the launch of its franchise program in May.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Unique Markets has organized hundreds of pop-up markets, brand experiences, and creative business conferences around the country, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Seattle, Denver, Austin, and Minneapolis. Through their innovative new franchise program, Unique Markets will be empowering franchisees to become community leaders and business owners, and also to shine a spotlight on and increase revenue for hundreds of local businesses in their city each year. The opportunity will enable franchise owners to champion small businesses in their communities, and help strengthen their local economy.

The pop-up marketplaces were created in 2008 by female founder, CEO and Asian-American entrepreneur, Sonja Rasula, who self-funded the business using her 401k savings. Prior to Unique Markets, Rasula worked as an award-winning Creative Director in the online and e-commerce sector and as an interior design star on HGTV. Inspired by all the independent designers, artists, and up-and-coming brands, she saw a huge opportunity to create a central place for them to commercialize their offerings, expand their reach, and scale their businesses.

So she set out to disrupt traditional retail with a new in-person shopping experience that would be curated, interactive, entertaining and would feature hundreds of sellers. With this franchise opportunity, Rasula hopes to do the same for budding small business owners who are passionate about design and craftsmanship, want to empower entrepreneurs in their city, and want to be their own boss with a flexible schedule.

Unique Markets is reinventing the traditional franchise model and leading the way for a new type of franchise; one whose business model is centered around experience. By extending their business model through franchising, Unique Markets is creating an even larger platform for small businesses, local artists, and independent designers to expand their presence outside their city.

Franchisees will receive a tried-and-tested playbook to run a successful business and will join an effective and collaborative community, inclusive of the Unique Markets corporate team and other franchise partners. The team at Unique Markets will be there every step of the way to guide franchisees, provide valuable advice, and create ongoing training to help new franchises grow.

Since inception, Unique Markets has supported and featured over 10,000 entrepreneurs at the markets and has generated over $25 million for small businesses. Now with the launch of the Unique Markets franchise, Rasula is focused on identifying and empowering community leaders all over to help support and grow small businesses in their city, invigorate the local economy, and spread the important message of shopping small.

About Unique Markets:

Established in 2008 by entrepreneur and creative director, Sonja Rasula, Unique Markets is a modern marketplace that helps designers, artists and emerging brands sell their products while encouraging people to shop local and support their community promoting conscious consumerism. Unique Markets holds three shopping events per year in multiple cities throughout the U.S with a consistent home base in Los Angeles. In years past, Unique Markets has popped up in San Francisco, New York City, Boston, and Minneapolis as well as numerous retail experiences, conferences, and events. Sonja is also the creator of The Unique Space, located in a historic building in the Los Angeles Arts District, it’s used as part modern communal office space, special event space, and wedding venue.

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