MANATEE COUNTY, FL — Made in Manatee, a new online storefront created by Realize Bradenton, highlights goods and services offered by county-based businesses.
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As it expands, new shops are encouraged to apply to be a part of the platform, the organization said in a news release.
Businesses across the county can apply to be part of Made in Manatee here.
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There are no listing or commission fees to be part of the storefront. There’s a $50 annual membership fee to sign up.
The online storefront, funded by a grant from the Knight Donor Advised Fund through the Manatee Community Foundation, launched in mid-November as a pilot program featuring 15 downtown Bradenton stores, Andrea Knies, communications director for Realize Bradenton, told Patch.
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This included brick-and-mortar shops and several vendors from the weekly Bradenton Market.
“We just wanted to get a feel for how everything worked,” Knies said. “Since that’s been moving forward very nicely and we got a feel for it, now we decided to open it up and make it available to businesses in Manatee County.”
Items currently available on the platform range from propagation stations to locally made candles to original artwork. There are also service-oriented businesses, including a Bradenton graphic designer.
Knies expects the storefront “to expand greatly” as the organization opens it up to businesses throughout the county.
“It’s a great way to get exposure to our small businesses and make it easier for people who want to shop local and find people,” she said.
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