Maiden Minnesota Kicks Off Holiday Shopping Season

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's the first day of November. Like it or not, with that comes the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season.

One early shopping event will be taking place Friday night in the Twin Cities. The people behind the event are entrepreneurs, but you can call them "fair maidens."

Maiden Minnesota is a pop-up boutique of more than 35 local companies owned by women. They will sell their goods from apparel to food to home decor.

"It's just fabulous being here. Everyone is so supportive," said one entrepreneur.

Tracy Dyre, owner of eco-friendly bag company Urban Junket, started Maiden Minnesota with friend Jen Stack after realizing just how many female-founded businesses they knew in the Twin Cities.

"We figured that we would be more powerful together than any of us could be individually," Dyre said.

"It's an awesome opportunity for women. The camaraderie is awesome. It's great to have so many people come and shop with us," said Becky Sterm, of 3 Way Beauty. "There's a really good sisterhood happening in the Twin Cities with female entrepreneurs."

Dyre said the event is not meant to detract from male entrepreneurs.

"Women are just good multitaskers," she said. "That can be good and bad. I think that what happens is that women can wear too many hats for too long and not expand their business as fast as men do."

And this band of women is keeping female business alive with this tradition of shopping, creating and sisterhood.

Maiden Minnesota is at the Graves 601 Hotel Friday night from 5 to 10 p.m. Tickets are available online until noon today for $20. You can also buy them for $30 at the door.

Proceeds from the event go to fund scholarships for Makers Coalition, a non-profit creating jobs in Minnesota for skilled workers in the cut and sew industry.