The Madery makers market has a sign visible as soon as you descend the stairs from the first floor of Worthington coworking space COhatch: “To disrupt the world around us and end the cycle of injustice through empowerment and opportunity.” Talking with a few of the business owners in the space, this mission matches their own all but verbatim.
The Madery is located in COhatch’s Library location in Worthington, at 752 High St. The lower level houses six local businesses: Red Bristle hair salon, Eleventh Candle Co. (formerly Legacy Candle Co.), Florin Coffee, Girl Set Free, InsideOut Creatives, and Porttion.
Michael Farrell, co-owner of Red Bristle, credits COhatch owners Matt Davis and Ryan Fogelman with being able to align the missions of several different businesses so fluidly.
“It’s a very artistic and committed approach to providing a well thought out, well planned and sustainable consumer experience,” he says, “That’s what we’re doing here.”
Red Bristle in particular wishes to empower individuals to pursue careers in the beauty industry, and provide “transformational hair experiences” that boost the confidence of clients seeking employment. The salon will specifically focus on serving women who have been victims of human trafficking or have previously been incarcerated.
Other businesses in The Madery are similar in their social missions: Eleventh Candle Co. seeks to redeem, restore, and empower victims of human trafficking nationally and internationally by employing women to make candles and accessories, and Girl Set Free’s handbags and scarves are manufactured by human trafficking victims in order to empower through employment. The company also works with an international partner to help rescue women from captivity.
InsideOut Creatives serves formerly incarcerated women by offering polymer clay classes, coinciding with a program that offers classes at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville. Clay jewelry and accessories are sold by volunteers for a fund the women have access to after rehabilitation. Meal delivery service Porttion and coffee subscription service Florin Coffee round out the group of curated social enterprises.
“I just think it’s the right way to run a business, says COhatch co-founder Matt Davis. “I think social enterprises are going to become one of the more popular ways of running a successful business, especially small businesses.”
Most of The Madery business owners found success online before venturing into a brick and mortar-style business. The Madery gives them a chance to see customers face-to-face and provides a space for customers to browse and attend marketing events, like the Worthington Farmers Market taking place every Saturday through October.
InsideOut Creatives owner Cynthia Tinapple, who is retired, says she was first worried about connecting with the other, younger business owners at The Madery. But very quick that feeling has changed.
“The truth is we have connected,” she says. “And there’s a great energy here that lots of people want in on.”
“We all believe in the work that we’re doing,” says Farrell. “We all understand our ‘why’ is that we want to empower change within our communities, and by doing that, and taking our passions with our purpose, the profit will come and we can take that profit and allocate it to make a difference.”
Find more information about The Madery on COhatch’s website: cohatch.com/madery.
