Saturday MRKT invites creatives, makers to vibe in a space with vintage grocery store feel
November 14, 2019 | Anna Turnbull
A crossroads for creative collisions is planned this weekend amid a celebration of street/pop culture, said Justin Ikerionwu.
What is Saturday MRKT?
Saturday MRKT is a concept that combines the world of creative experiences and creative knowledge to allow entrepreneurs, creatives, and young professionals to thrive in community. With the need to celebrate the vast and diverse culture, that is “street/pop culture,” Saturday MRKT is a pop-up exhibition and festival that brings the culture of By Design to the forefront.
“[We want to] bring together the different members of the creative and entrepreneur community and through … conversations and overall just a great vibe, they can interact and form future collaborations,” said Ikerionwu, organizer of the Nov. 16 Saturday MRKT at Union in the Crossroads Arts District.
It’s a cant-miss gather that blends artistic knowledge and entertainment, he added.
Click here for tickets to the 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Nov. 16 event.
“You can enjoy yourself, you can meet other creative people and you can see some interesting installations,” said Ikerionwu, who also is co-founder and editor-in-chief of By Design, a print and digital publication that focuses on enriching the lifestyles of creatives.
Saturday MRKT itself is an artistic presentation of sorts, he added.
“As soon as you walk in you will see a space set up to look like a vintage grocery store,” Ikerionwu said. “We always want Saturday MRKT to feel like it’s a place where you can get what you need [similar to a market] and take away something that will benefit you in the long run.”
A unique feature: “The Deli” where live interviews will take place with six creators that are in different fields and industries, he noted.
“We want guests to feel like they can not only learn through the experiences, get questions answered, but also interact with potential clients, customers or stakeholders to help their business move forward,” Ikerionwu said. “I think that as you walk in the inspiration of all the people and the creative energy of the people in attendance … It will touch you. I’m really excited to see the reaction of the attendants.”
Click here to learn more about By Design magazine.
This story is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.
For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect at www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn

2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
KC GIFT’s $100K grant — its largest-ever — aims to help boost Black-owned job creator
A newly opened $100,000 grant represents a significant step in Kansas City GIFT’s mission to close the racial wealth gap — investing in Black-owned businesses that have the potential to become significant employers and economic drivers in their communities, said Brandon Calloway. “We exist to right the wrongs of the past and create the economic…
They just wanted someone to notice: 10 years (and an exit) later, the first founders featured in Startland News have come 360
Editor’s note: Startland News — officially launched May 4, 2015 — is marking its 10-year anniversary this spring. As part of this observance, the nonprofit newsroom is taking a look back at pivotal moments in its decade-long run, as well as impact along the way. Longtime editor-in-chief Tommy Felts caught up with Stuart Ludlow and David…
Entrepreneur flexes her creative strengths into visibility for Kansas City’s lupus warriors
Keisha Jordan refuses to be a wallflower in the fight against lupus, she said. The founder of Kansas City-based creative home design brand Complex Flavors, Jordan is working to raise awareness this month with her own story as an entrepreneur-turned-lupus warrior. “We just want everybody to know that Kansas City has not forgotten about the…
KC’s 10-year playbook: Celebrate the wins, but go faster, farther (and leave no talent behind)
A decade of focusing on inclusive prosperity helped Kansas City rise among its peers, said David Warm, but the next 10 years require the region work quickly, with even more intention, and leaning into Kansas City’s willingness to forge its own path, together. “We are not going to get direction from the federal government. It…
