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New business unlocks vault of treasures and trinkets

WARREN — Stepping into the Vault of Vendors LLC feels like wandering into a storybook brought to life.

Inside, 26 unique vendors showcase their treasures from small individual kiosks.

The grand opening celebration of the store at 1555 Woodland St. NE took place the first weekend in May, when a large crowd of shoppers browsed the curated collection.

Tiny worlds of handmade crafts, vintage finds, artisanal treats and many other unique finds are offered 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

“This is my second time here. All these wonderful handmade items in one place are wonderful. Everything is reasonably priced,” said JoEllen Pierce of Cortland, who visited the store on Mother’s Day with her granddaughter, Kylie,12.

“We just wanted to check out the store after seeing it online. We also checked out their Facebook page,” said Gene Jang of Streetsboro.

Warren native and owner Angela DeJacimo-Shelley is an experienced business owner. She has run a beauty salon for 25 years and her salon is adjacent to the new store.

“I am very, very big on supporting small businesses. Customers come and tell me they have never seen these kinds of products. Random markets are getting full exposure that they have never had before,” Dejacimo-Shelley said.

She found many vendors through networking and Facebook. Some were clients and others were vendors from whom she had purchased items in the past.

“I wanted one space where I could do it all, especially the fresh items. I was trying to get small businesses without a storefront. Something that is not an event or a one-day weekend thing,” DeJacimo-Shelley said.

Products range from homemade shadow jackets, upcycled purses and wallets, jean jackets, garden flags, totes, makeup bags and jean vests, to resin art, jewelry, freeze-dried candy, tallow products, candles, jellies, jams, dog treats, homemade breads and cookies and more.

“Everything here is handmade, natural, and a non-toxic product, from room sprays to honey soap, to laundry detergent,” Dejacimo-Shelley said.

Magnesium oil sprays, travel mugs, journals, kettle corn and gluten-free baked goods are also among the many items for sale.

“Social media has been huge. To date, I have more than 1,300 followers on Facebook. People can visit my page and directly message me regarding getting started as a vendor and getting on the wait list,” she said.

“I am really impressed that this is all women-owned,” said Toni Gilmore, who stopped in on Mother’s Day to purchase dog treats. It was her second time visiting the store.

Renting a space in the store requires a month-to-month fee. There is no long-term commitment and no commission is charged. The vendors drop off their items and restock at times specified by Dejacimo-Shelley. Vendors do not need to be present during store hours. Cash or Venmo are the only forms of payment.

“I am so big in especially supporting women-owned small businesses. We need to stick together. Everyone has their own talent. We have one collective space here with a huge variety of items,” Dejacimo-Shelley said.

Starting at $3.23/week.

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