Located in the Draft Room, local women-owned businesses set up retail and food vendor booths throughout the space to create a marketplace-style event. The seven retail vendors included Océanne, The Sis Kiss, Blossom Flower Bar, Peripeti Home, Becco Bags, Patchitupcle and Ginger & Honey, which sold a variety of products such as skincare products, custom bags and hats with patches, candles, personalized jewelry, permanent jewelry and charm bar, as well as flower bouquets.
"Those were really cool," Cassandra Bryant said. "They were making hats and they were really cute. They had a bunch of patches that you could put on there together, really cool."
The food vendors included Dahlia Coffee Co., Goldie's Donuts & Bakery, Jenni Pops and Uncle Crunch, offering a variety of treats available for guests.
"We were truly honored to serve families from communities we don't always get to reach and what a way to do it," Goldie's Donuts & Bakery owner Paloma Goldberg said. "A full day surrounded by women building their dreams, right in the heart of the very first The Collective at the Browns Summer Tailgate. Days like yesterday do not happen by accident. It was an event full of purpose and intention and that's thanks to the Cleveland Browns who brought the vision to life in the most beautiful way, and we are so grateful they let us be part of it. What they set out to do, they did and then some."
For several years, the Browns and JumpStart have partnered to provide equitable opportunities that support economic advancement across the Northeast Ohio region. Through the collaboration with JumpStart and their Small Business Impact Program – a 12-week business accelerator that provides hands-on advising and industry-specific mentoring to participants – Ginger & Honey and Uncle Crunch were selected for participation in The Collective after their inclusion in the Small Business Impact Program.
The Collective also featured art activations by women artists, including watercolor portraits by LeBlanc Artistry, LLC; interactive tile display by Studio Go, Community Arts Center; and a live mural painting by Thao Nguyen. To help cultivate the environment, DJ Yulissa provided music throughout the event.
"Being part of The Collective was an amazing experience," Nguyen said. "I had so much fun creating and painting an 8-by-8-foot mural celebrating women from different backgrounds, all within a single day. Finishing the piece in just five hours while guests watched it come to life throughout the event was both challenging and rewarding, and it's something I'll always remember."