Little Scorpion Market: A creative destination at The Landing

When Olivia Nelson started selling customized charm jewelry online last year, it sparked an idea. 

By May, she was a vendor at the YLNI Farmers Market in downtown Fort Wayne. It was there she started dreaming of a storefront with a flower bar, custom jewelry, and boutique shopping. Nelson envisioned moving beyond the traditional boutique retail model.

Her idea was to create a space for people to shop and do something that stimulates their mind and lets them be creative. 

That space, Little Scorpion Market, opened its doors at The Landing earlier this year. It features a fresh flower bouquet, permanent jewelry, and a variety of small businesses. 

A core mission of the store is to support other local entrepreneurs by providing access to high-traffic downtown areas with a lower barrier to entry and reduced investment requirements. The store currently supports four local partners: Raising Brave Boutique, a boutique clothing provider; Home & Hardware, curated home decor; Rowdy Rooster Artisan Meats, artisanal charcuterie products; and Baeb & Buddy, custom embroidered children’s apparel. The Market also features luxury pieces from Tia Thompson of Galleria Via. The flower bar is sourced from a local flower vendor and from Nelson’s personal flower garden. She’s open to working with more flower farms in Fort Wayne to promote her local community.

When dreaming of this storefront, Nelson says she knew she wanted it to be downtown.

“I wanted [the store] to be at The Landing because I want it to be where people are already going and where it has that historic aesthetic downtown vibe.”

The goal, she adds, was to create something that could be part of the destination.  

“I want to be a part of the destination for people and bring that vibrancy to downtown,” Nelson says.

As for the name of the store, Nelson says it is a brave stretch for her, as she’s a Scorpio according to astrology. 

“I think [Scorpios] can be a little misunderstood at times. I’ve had to accept those parts of myself and be okay with [the name] being on display for people and being misunderstood. I want everyone that comes in to feel like they are accepted and they can sit down, stay a while, get creative, and feel like who they are is not only enough, but also celebrated.”

Rather than a grand opening, Nelson hosted a soft opening in early May, which allowed her and a team of three employees the necessary time to observe customer flow and adjust operations, with plans to host a more celebratory grand event in the future.

“We basically opened our doors with the energy around the messaging was, ‘Hey, we’re brand new at this, so just keep your expectations with understanding how we were just figuring it out and finding our flow.’”

Nelson plans to increase the market’s focus on community building through creative workshops and events in late summer and early fall. She has programs such as a scrapbooking club, which meets on the first Wednesday of every month. Craft camp returns in late July. The day camp is for makers and creators, ages 7 and up, to learn different crafts based on various weekly themes.

“What’s really generating a lot of excitement right now is people wanting more things to do. They want to be a part of something. They want to just feel like a human and be with other people, be in community, having conversations, and just doing something creative and crafty.”

For example, Little Scorpion Market is partnering with book clubs to host book charm workshops. Nelson encourages individuals who are interested in hosting workshops or events to reach out via Instagram.

To learn more, follow Little Scorpion Market on Instagram or visit their store on The Landing, where they’re open Wednesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5:00 p.m. Little Scorpion Market can also be found at the YLNI Farmers Market on Saturdays.