The Holiday Shop Share: How we created a hub for community, small businesses, and women entrepreneurs.

What started as an initiative to create a space filled with holiday magic became so much more-it became a support system, a community, and a family for seven women entrepreneurs. This is the story behind The Holiday Shop Share!

This December, Parasol Projects teamed up with six fashion and jewelry brands to create a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. Visitors could sip drinks, shop unique designs, take Polaroids, draw holiday cards, and even pop out of a giant present box (yes, really).

The Shop Share became a beloved destination for the NoLita community, offering distinctive last-minute holiday gifts-or at the very least, a chance to discover inspiring designs. Partnering with Chai Street & Co., we served warm, cozy drinks one day and celebratory champagne and chocolates the next, making sure every visitor felt a little extra spoiled. We even hosted a fun holiday raffle, where five lucky winners earned gift bags filled with goodies from the brands.

But the impact wasn't just external-it was deeply internal too. What happens when you bring together six women-led small businesses in a shared space? You get collaboration, open dialogue, and a platform for exchanging marketing ideas, business strategies, and personal stories. We felt the ripple effect of these conversations and conducted a few interviews to learn how this experience impacted each entrepreneur.

For Mona Jewlery, the pop-up experience was both challenging and rewarding.

"Every time there's a different situation that comes up. We need to try to fix it," she shares. "I love Pop-ups. I can meet so many different kinds of customers. Some customers give me great ideas-like, 'Hey, if you can make two-tone of this, it will be better.' A lot of great products come from customers' suggestions."

Mona also emphasized how the community aspect of the Shop Share shaped her experience: "All the people here are so talented, and everyone is so nice to us. It feels like a family, and everyone shares information and helps each other,".

For Daisy, the founder of DAWANG, the Pop-Up turned out to be a significant learning journey as well.

"Having been online for so long, transitioning to offline has been a challenge for us," Daisy shares. "Having a physical store presence is a big step - It's great to test out the New York traffic. You can't find a better place than this."

The ultimate goal for DAWANG's pop-up was to build a stronger connection with customers and eventually expand into a physical or online store. We loved hearing how successful the Shop Share experience has been in her journey!

"This is actually our first store with a full store installation, including window displays, thanks to Parasol Projects. It feels like a true holiday ambiance here, and we wouldn't have been able to create such an environment on our own. Stay tuned for more. We'll be popping up again in spring and summer-new stuff coming soon!"

Last but not least, the lovely Nicole Amato shared the inspiration and journey behind her creative leap into the world of design.

"I've always loved fashion, even as a little girl," she recalls. While trained as a lawyer, Nicole's passion for creativity never ceased. "I always had that creative nudge. At some point, I decided to stop ignoring it and start making the pieces in my head a reality."

The primary goal for Nicole's first pop-up was to gain experience and explore the logistics of running one. "I wanted to understand what works and what doesn't," she says. "And Parasol Project made it happen beyond my dreams. This looks like what I would want my store to look like." She hopes to expand her presence, with plans to possibly open a physical store or host pop-ups across the country. "The ultimate goal is to grow the brand and really understand the retail landscape,".

Though at different stages in their journeys, the pop-up offered something valuable for everyone-some were focused on sales, others tested NYC's shop foot traffic for the first time, and a few returned to the pop-up scene with fresh perspectives. The Holiday Shop Share proved that when women entrepreneurs come together, they build something far greater than just a store-they create a thriving, supportive community! We hope these stories inspire brands alike to make the leap towards your dream Pop-Up.