STORE AROUND THE CORNER: Artisans' World Marketplace

Every night when Sandy Ramsey locks up her storefront, she can’t help but step back and smile.

It’s in those quiet moments that Ramsey often reflects on the day’s success. However, it’s not the thought of dollar signs that brings a smile to Artisans’ World Marketplace president Sandy Ramsey’s face. Rather it’s the realization that she’s helped another person in need.

“Every night I lock the door and I (smile) because I provided someone somewhere with a second bowl of rice,” Ramsey said. “To (us) it’s just a bowl of rice, but it’s a matter of life and death to the person getting the second bowl of rice.”

Ramsey opened Artisans’ World Marketplace, a retail outlet for artisans around the world living below the poverty level, 14 years ago in Sarasota. And on Nov. 12, Ramsey opened her second location on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch.

“This is a growing area,” Ramsey said of Lakewood Ranch. “In the beginning when Lakewood Ranch wasn’t well-known we thought it would be a good place to be, but we couldn’t afford it. But now the opportunity arose and we’re going to keep walking through doors until God closes them.”

Artisans’ World Marketplace represents more than 60 countries across the globe, including the United States, China and Thailand. However, the vast majority of the artisans showcased in the store are from third-world countries.

“The majority of the artisans we represent are from third-world countries because the need is so much greater,” Ramsey said. “We try to be as broad-based as possible. Our focus is on third-world countries, but we also feel the United States has programs for the poor that sometimes fall through the cracks.”

The 100 percent fair trade and non-profit organization features a plethora of art, crafts, jewelry, accessories and clothing, among other items, including Pooh Paper, which is paper made from elephant dung, and Kenana Knitter Critters, which are stuffed animals made in Kenya.

“There’s a sad story behind everything we carry,” Ramsey said. “Our hope is that our customers leave with a positive feeling knowing their shopping dollars are making a difference.”

“It helps them find worth — being able to produce,” manager Chris Purnell said. “It’s not a charity. They are doing things completely innovative and creative without the tools and comforts that we have. It’s good, quality stuff.”

For the past 14 years, Artisans’ World Marketplace has been helping create jobs for impoverished individuals across the world. Ramsey came up with the idea to open the store while working at a similar store.

She managed that particular store for three years before it closed at which point Ramsey decided to open her own store.

“God called me to open a store,” Ramsey said. “I loved the concept and the realization that my shopping dollars were directly impacting a life halfway around the world.”

Ramsey and five other individuals gathered around her dining room table in February 1995 and in June 1996, Ramsey opened Artisans’ World Marketplace in the basement of the First United Methodist Church with $800 and a $25,000 inventory loan.

Seven years later the store moved out of the basement of the church and into its Sarasota storefront. And now Ramsey is hoping to bring the same customer service and quality products her customers have come to expect to her new Lakewood Ranch location.

Contact Jen Blanco at jblanco@yourobserver.com.

BASICS

Artisans’ World Marketplace 

Address: 8130 Lakewood Main St., Suite 103

Phone: 306-5859

Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday

Website: www.artisansworldmarketplace.com

What makes this business unique: “We represent over 60 countries — the majority of which are third-world countries because the need is so much greater,” director Sandy Ramsey said.