New business owners imagine a midtown and beyond

Small Business Saturday is Nov. 26, and two women have created an intricate indoor shopping area at a Carson City location they’re dubbing “midtown.”

“We’ve established a starting point,” said Coleen Cudney, co-owner of MidTown Marketplace on Corbett Street. “Other business owners can establish the ending point.”

Cudney and co-owner Christine Latshaw explained how sometimes downtown events end near Corbett Street while plenty of businesses stretch northward. In 2021, the two opened the marketplace that offers more than 30 local vendors. Cudney and Latshaw take pride in being a women-owned business – equal partners – but also in reimagining commerce in a perhaps overlooked part of the city.

“It’s already happening,” Cudney said. “Other shops in the area are saying they’re located in midtown Carson City.”

The partners are serious about the location. They bought the building that houses the 2,200-square-foot market space. That space offers eclectic home décor, repurposed furniture, handcrafted artisanal items, refashioned vintage clothing, and Fusion mineral paints that are used for furniture.

Cudney emphasized the business is not an antique store, setting limits on how many antiques vendors can sell.

“Carson City already has a lot of antique stores,” she said. “We’re not here to compete with them.”

Coleen Cudney and Christine Latshaw outside MidTown Marketplace off Corbett Street on Nov. 4. 

The partners said they researched the city’s planning department and projected population growth before deciding on a location.

“We looked everywhere, from Gardnerville to Reno,” Cudney said.

They envisioned a dynamic marketplace in which they could change inventories and offer special events.

“Now, we have a waiting list,” Latshaw said.

Describing the arcade-like space, Latshaw added, “It’s kind of like walking down the street.”

The two don’t operate on consignment. Rather, they rent space to each vendor and take a commission.

Cudney said there’s a hidden community of people who love to repurpose items, both buying and selling.

“They love to create small little spaces to sell items,” she said.

When the two opened their doors, word got out quickly about the new space.

“It’s been awesome,” Latshaw said.

Latshaw, who lives in Minden, first met Cudney, who lives in Sacramento, on a cruise ship about 15 years ago. The two struck up a lasting friendship. Latshaw operated a bed and breakfast in South Lake Tahoe, and Cudney would come up to stay.

The partners come from different backgrounds – Cudney from the dental and medical industry and Latshaw from lodging and hospitality – but both love shopping together. They became vendors in a Sacramento marketplace before the new venture.

“We both have similar interests in design and for remaking space,” said Cudney.

While Cudney enjoys painting and Latshaw crafting, they can each look at the same piece of furniture and be “in sync” in seeing what it needs.

“Midtown and downtown, people live in smaller spaces,” Cudney said.

She said the marketplace matches that ethos. No matter the design or style they’re looking for, people can find décor to fill their homes.

The business has been hosting community events since opening, including do-it-yourself crafting classes the first Sunday of the month. Vendors also switch out items to match monthly themes. Starting Black Friday, Nov. 25, there will be a “Christmas explosion.”

“It will tie into Small Business Saturday,” Cudney said.

The marketplace is located at 104 Corbett St. Regular business hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. the first Sunday of the month. Holiday business hours for Nov. 25-26 will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Dec. 16, the marketplace is hosting kid shoppers interested in buying their parents a gift and having it giftwrapped.

For information, visit www.midtownmarketplacenv.com.