Back in 2010, while living in Minnesota, we had an idea to assemble some brands together for a different kind of shopping experience in N.E. Minneapolis. Originally, the intent was to highlight local and regional brands, but then some brands on the West & East coast heard about what we were doing and asked if they could also join. Why not?

Some of the brands that came were larger and more-established, while others were smaller brands on the rise or brands we like to call “the new American creatives”. They all had one thing in common though - they manufactured their goods in the U.S.

It was an eclectic atmosphere with music, food, drink and hundreds of consumers from all backgrounds showed up. It ended up being a success all around.

What started out as a simple idea for a fun weekend back in 2010 turned into national movement that took us to new places and brought us new friendships - a community.

Since then, we have curated and produced 43 marketplaces and 7 concept stores around the country and internationally featuring hundreds of diverse brands and merchandise. 

More importantly, over the last several years, we have developed close and personal relationships with over 1000 diverse brands from all corners and walks of life. These brands are creators, designers, visionaries, artists, and builders. They are our neighbors from all different backgrounds and experiences .

Since our evolution from that one weekend in Minneapolis into a nationally known retail platform, our focus has been towards the physical retail experience.

As we continue to grow, the next step in our evolution is the online retail experience, where we aim to become the leading destination for products manufactured in the U.S.

If you ever find yourself in our neck of the woods in NYC or near any of our traveling marketplaces around the country, please swing by to say hello and experience the Northern Grade hospitality. 

Thanks for visiting and enjoy.

-The Northern Grade Team