SARANAC LAKE | When Victoria Vazquez moved to the Adirondacks in 2016 to attend Paul Smith’s College, she had not intended to settle down in the area. Eight years later, she not only still lives in Saranac Lake, she owns and operates a small business there. Vazquez is continually making improvements to Main Street Exchange, her downtown consignment shop, and has launched a crowdfunding campaign to support her latest project.
Two years after taking over the existing downtown business and four months since she moved the shop across the street, Vazquez is seeking fundraising support for a “Creative Haven Makeover” of its basement into a bright, welcoming space for community use. Hosted by the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) through the regional nonprofit Ignite! crowdfunding platform, her project and other campaigns can be viewed at bit.ly/igniteadk.
“This is going to be a space that the community can use to express their creativity through a variety of mediums,” Vazquez said. “Whether it’s painting, sewing, writing or photography, we want to make this a space for all makers. We’re so grateful to ANCA and the local community for supporting this exciting new chapter for Main Street Exchange.”
ANCA relaunched its Ignite! program in October to address the challenge among local entrepreneurs of securing capital for small projects that would make a substantial impact on their growth. Utilizing ANCA’s new website and updated crowdfunding platform, Ignite! is currently hosting project campaigns for two women-owned, creative businesses in Saranac Lake — Main Street Exchange and ADK ArtRise.
Read the full story in the Sun Community News.