Sole Folks is a retail incubator program for young designers and artisans from underserved communities under the non profit Sole Folks Community Development Corporation 501(C)(3).

The mission is to create a space where minority businesses can learn about bringing their products to market. The facility is set up as a high end department store and pop up bistro that sells participants goods. To the naked eye it’s a retail store but behind the scenes it’s a campus equipped with a classroom.

Sole Folks Art Lab is geared to millennial entrepreneurs ages 16-25 years old.The 12 week program will include 36 strategy sessions led by visiting experts, group projects to facility collaboration and culminating pop up shows. Each residence will go through seven phases of product development :Sourcing, brand identity, preproduction, e-commerce marketing, preparing for launch, retail and  community investment.

Our mission is to cultivate creative pursuits of underserved populations through a structure and supportive retail incubator program.