Creating Wonder Through Community
A conversation with Perri, founder of The WonderMart
Welcome to our interview series, Creative Changemakers. Every month, we will be speaking to a different business owner who is using creativity as a tool to build community and create change!
This month, we caught up with Perri, the creative force behind The WonderMart in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, to discover how she's crafting more than just a retail experience. In a city where gift shops can feel impersonal and commercial, The WonderMart stands apart as a vibrant sanctuary for locally-made treasures and meaningful connections. Step inside and you might find yourself discovering one-of-a-kind New York-made products, participating in an artisan workshop, or being greeted by Fern, the shop's newest four-legged team member. We left feeling genuinely moved by Perry's dedication to uplifting local creators and fostering authentic community connections.
Whether you're a longtime Brooklyn resident, new to the area, or just passing through, The WonderMart invites everyone to experience the wonder of local creativity. Stop by to shop, learn, connect or simply soak in the uniquely New York atmosphere that Perry has lovingly cultivated.
"I'm creating space for other people. And it's not just about my journey at the end of the day. It's all the other people that I'm supporting through the shop and their livelihoods too."
“Hi, I'm Perry, and I'm the owner of The WonderMart in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. We are primarily a gift shop, but we are also a third place in New York City and Brooklyn at large, offering creative workshops, tastings, pop-ups, any way for you to connect additionally with local makers.”
What inspired you to build The WonderMart?
What inspired me to start and build my space is that I'm a native New Yorker, and it just made sense for me to create a space where other New Yorkers can thrive and reach new customers. Everything in the shop is made or designed in New York State, and we exclusively support emerging brands and small makers. I'm a creative at heart, and to offer a space for other creatives to thrive really meant a lot to me.
What does creativity mean to you?
Creativity is a huge part of my life. I've always been in the arts world in some form. I went to art school for college. I was a painter at one point. It's like my existence. It's not a physical act for me anymore, but it's become this sort of manifestation of the shop and having such an intimate relationship with all of the local makers that we stock in the shop. I always say that this is my happy place, that it's truly like the inside of my brain come to life. And when they get it, they really get it. It brings so much joy to me. Seeing when people really get it, it warms my heart in such a way where it feels like when somebody's looking at your artwork and [they have] an aha moment. That's the same way I feel when customers come into the shop and take everything in and really love what they see.
What does being a creative change maker mean to you?
Being a creative changemaker, to me, is important because I'm providing a space for other creatives to thrive. And I do that not only just by selling their goods in the shop, but also providing them with resources and opportunities to connect with the community in other ways than just by selling their work. I partner with Made at NYC and teach workshops with small businesses to give my knowledge away in such a way that it's free for them. It's never just about the retail component. It's about all of the other little ways that more holistically [help] people move through the world and have their cake and eat it too.
Where does the name of your company come from?
The name of The WonderMart comes from that feeling you get when you see something really cool on the shelf that you have to have. There's a little hand in our logo that's reaching for a little sparkly something. And it basically is meant to represent that feeling that you get when you're like, "Oh, my God, what is that? I got to have it." And everything in the shop is unique, locally made. And so it's that wonder that you get when you find something new that you've never seen before. That's beautiful.
What kind of community do you hope to cultivate?
Community is important to me because it's literally the building block of my business. I support local makers. They are inherently a community in and of themselves. And then introducing local shoppers to that community helps grow the community. And then creating space for folks to learn from those makers also helps them connect to each other in that moment of creativity. It really is just like one big, nice, happy cycle of life happening in the shop. Without community, I don't think that this shop would be possible. I'm always finding ways to connect further than just the shopping experience. Finding all of those little ways to connect and further the sort of reach that the local makers can achieve is what I'm all about. It's not really about money for me. It's about the people.
What would you want first-time visitors to know about your space?
I would want first-time visitors to know that we are a woman-owned shop, that it is owned and operated by a woman, me! I'm the one-woman show here, and that everyone is welcome. I have a background in hospitality, and I think it's very natural for me to welcome people into the shop in maybe a different way than you're used to when you walk into a space. When you come here for the first time, I really want you to experience everything that we have to offer. Take your time walking through the shop and noticing all of the beautiful things we sell. And maybe we strike up a conversation too.
What's your biggest challenge being a business owner?
My biggest challenge as a business owner has always been the marketing side of the business. Not only for marketing the workshops, but also marketing the fact that I exist and making sure that the shop stays busy. Fun fact, I had a day job the majority of the time that I've had my business. And this past February, I got laid off. And so I am full-time now at my shop, which is actually a dream come true, silver lining. But I don't know how to pay myself from my business. So that has also been a huge challenge.
Being in retail, running a retail business, running a brick and mortar is hard. I knew that going in, but I'm someone that likes to take risks. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It's worth it. And for me, it's worth it because I know that I'm creating space for other people. And it's not just about my journey at the end of the day. It's all the other people that I'm supporting through the shop and their livelihoods too. I truly wouldn't want to be doing anything else with my time. And so I feel really, actually, very lucky that I get to do this every day.
..and who is your cute furry friend?
So enough about me. This is Fern. And she is going to be our new shop dog. We just adopted her almost two weeks ago. And obviously, you can see how chill she is. She's going to be great. And I know everybody's already so excited to meet her because I posted about her like the day I got her on our shop Instagram. So yeah, she's here with us today just by chance. And I'm so excited for you all to meet her!
Thank you Perri! Check out The WonderMart online and go shop in-person in Greenpoint. Follow Perri on Instagram for future events!
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