Nonprofit launches retail shop on C-Street

For the first time in its 17-year history, a Springfield nonprofit is diving into the retail world with the opening of a mercantile shop on Commercial Street.

While Oct. 17 served as the grand opening for Upside Down Mercantile – complete with a Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony – the venture run by the Down Syndrome Group of the Ozarks had a soft launch in August exclusively for families the organization serves, said Executive Director Scott Kirby. The shop at 203 W. Commercial St., Ste. C, was an idea two years in the making, he added.

The shop’s concept is to provide a variety of retail products, such as clothing and jewelry, through vendors who rent out space. All seven of the vendor booths are run by individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Vendors also are involved in the selection, development, branding and selling of all products in the store.

“It’s up to the families how big or small they want their business to be, how many products and how they want to go about that,” Kirby said. “This is something we’ve never even seen done. We’re actually creating this from scratch.”

Kirby is the lone full-time employee of the nonprofit, which also offices in the back part of the 1,600-square-foot C-Street space. The building is near Historic Firehouse No. 2 at the intersection with Boonville Avenue. DSGO is on a two-year lease for an undisclosed rate with Diamond S Realty LLC, he said. The organization serves about 200 families in southwest Missouri, the majority of which are in the Springfield area, he said, adding it recently expanded coverage to Joplin.

Services include support groups, advocacy work and a connecting point of resources for families that have loved ones with Down syndrome. For example, Kirby said the organization provides welcome baskets filled with resources and information on DSGO that are delivered at hospitals for families with newborns with Down syndrome.

The nonprofit’s revenue for fiscal 2022 was roughly $102,000, and it has assets of nearly $56,000, according to its latest Form 990 on file with the IRS.

DSGO officials are hopeful the shop can be profitable for its vendors, who nonprofit officials call brand ambassadors, but more importantly that it will reinforce positive public perceptions of those with Down syndrome.

“We birthed the name of Upside Down Mercantile to show what they’re capable of, what they can do and focus on opportunities that help them grow and live life to the fullest like most of us take for granted every day,” Kirby said.

Finding vision
J.C. Loveland has been on the DSGO Board of Directors for three years and now serves as president. He said supporting families the organization serves with a retail venture seemed like a perfect avenue – and Commercial Street, which has unique boutique shops, such as Gypsy Girl and Hakaar’s Bazaar LLC, seemed to be an appropriate fit.

“We wanted it to fit in with the Commercial Street vibe, kind of an eclectic, antique-ish look,” Loveland said. “Our executive director has the vision.”

The store vendors have products including jewelry, clothing, journals, dog treats and coffee beans. The latter product comes from Republic-based Brew 21 Extra Chromosome Coffee Co., which also launched a mobile coffee trailer this summer, Kirby said.

At the grand opening, 19-year-old Riley Hesterly was proudly showing off his Dudes Scent booth. His mother, Mindy, said the family bulk orders, repackages, labels and sells all-natural health and hygiene products, such as soap, lip balm and hair gel.

“He’s always been a fashion guy and all about his hair looking nice,” she said of her son.

Hesterly’s work at the shop will be in addition to his job at Big Shots Golf, Kirby said.

Raising awareness
Kirby said its organization works to raise awareness of Down syndrome, adding Upside Down Mercantile is meant to help with that goal. While Kirby said he and Chloe Jones, DSGO executive assistant and store manager, have primarily worked in the shop since its opening, the brand ambassadors are going to be contributing more soon.

“We’ll be working out what days and times work for them,” he said. “The goal will be for someone to be there as much as possible, promoting their brand and talking to customers.”

The shop intends to add more vendors, Kirby said, adding the focus right now is on adults with Down syndrome.

“The more we can raise awareness in the community, it will give them more opportunities,” he said. “Our goal is to educate. They are really capable of a lot more than people would realize.”

Although no recent data note employment levels of individuals with Down syndrome, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said 21.3% of persons with a disability were employed in 2022, up from 19.1% a year prior.

“It’s probably a little bit hit or miss,” Kirby said, regarding job opportunities for those with Down syndrome. “It can depend on the job. The ones who will give them a shot, they are very pleasantly surprised of what they are capable of and how good of a job they actually do.”

Kirby said DSGO has networked with some employers such as Silver Dollar City to try and provide job opportunities but acknowledged it’s a bit of a struggle to help families find a large selection of employment options.

“That’s where Upside Down Mercantile comes in,” he said.

Kirby said each of the brand ambassadors pays a small, undisclosed fee for the booth space and 12% of sales. The remainder of the sales goes to the vendors, he said.

“As we increase partnerships and donors, we look to eventually eliminate that,” he said. “We’re not in it to make any money. We just need to cover the overhead of the space itself.”

Several businesses are listed on one of the shop’s walls, noting support for the mercantile and organization. Both DSGO and the vendors have recruited the partners, which pay an annual fee of $1,000 that includes signage in the store and helps cover operational expenses. Kirby said Prime Inc., Next Level Solutions LLC, Club Z! In-Home Tutoring Services Inc., Encore Bank, Onestringer Arrow Wraps LLC, Great Southern Bank and Mary Blair, a financial adviser with Edward Jones, have all signed up for the remainder of this year and 2024.