Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Nestled behind the door of Marketplace on James was a world that transcended the ordinary. From candles to vintage decorations, Indigenous jewelry, antique pieces and coffee pot earrings, the store offered a colorful fusion of past and present, encapsulated in its slogan, “Where Old Meets New.”

“People always commented, you walked in, and you felt the warmth,” owner Eileen Porto said. “People were always laughing and having a good time,” one of her vendors, Michelle Bintz, added.

In 2021, Eileen Porto opened Marketplace on James, located on James Street in Eastwood, a space for local artisans to sell their creations. However, after nearly three years, the store closed its doors on James Street in December and Porto is looking for a new location.

Porto started as a vendor, selling glassware on Etsy. Unable to find an antique store to lease space in, she decided to open a store for her work and other local artisans – a “team effort.”

“It was more a labor of love on everybody’s part to be a good spot and a safe space in the community,” Porto said. “We have people who just come in because they’re lonely, they’d come in and walk around, come up and talk for a little bit.”

For Porto, it was important to be present in the community and give back. One weekend each month was dedicated to a nonprofit, donating 10% of all sales from the weekend to a charity.

She started an Instagram series where she, her employee Logan and vendor Michelle, went to local businesses to promote their products, show their store and talk to customers.

The Cluttered Closet was one of the small businesses Marketplace on James showcased on their page. Briana Hess, the consignment store’s owner, sells vintage and new goods, jewelry, shoes, home goods and art.

“I used to tell people when they would come into my store, ‘You have to go check out Marketplace on James, it’s my favorite store,’” Hess said. “I own this store, so that has to tell you how great they are.”

A photo of Eileen Porto in her store Marketplace on James sits atop a cabinet in Porto’s dining room. The photo was taken by a local newspaper when Marketplace on James was still open, and Porto referred to it to showcase how lively and heartwarming the store was before it closed. Ella Chan | Contributing Photographer

Porto is grateful for the outpour of support from the community. People drove out to the store from as near as Eastwood to as far as Rochester to support the store in its final months.

For a small business like Marketplace on James, affordable storefronts are hard to find. Porto hopes to stay in Eastwood or Westcott, but it’s difficult to find a new space in either of the neighborhoods. While the city offers support to small businesses with a $5,000 forgivable loan, rents are even higher.

The closure also displaced another business in the Market. Kofta Burger, a restaurant run by Jullen Merrill, was Porto’s commercial tenant. The restaurant, known for its unique offerings and spin on Middle Eastern food, will move to downtown Syracuse.

“It’s really sad for Eastwood. The community lost two good thriving businesses,” Porto said.

Vendors, like Michelle Bintz and Jennifer Cuadrado, spoke fondly of the sense of community fostered by Marketplace on James. The store’s closure has left them seeking alternative opportunities, with uncertainties about the future.

Bintz said she joined Marketplace on James as a vendor after seeing a Facebook post about the store, selling jewelry and other handmade goods. With the store’s closure, she now sells her handmade goods part-time through a friend’s platform.

Cuadrado sells vintage sterling silver and Indigenous jewelry. Her passion for learning about and appreciating the history and culture of different Indigenous tribes inspired her to start her jewelry business.

Cuadrado plans to supplement her income with new events she’s never done before once the weather warms up. She hopes to join pop-ups that give her the same sense of community she found at Marketplace on James.

“I love to share the history,” Cuadrado said “I have books about Indigenous artists, so I want to get the opportunity to share with people who really want to learn.”

Bintz and Cuadrado both said they are willing to return as vendors at Marketplace on James if it reopens. Despite the challenges and setbacks, Porto remains hopeful about finding a new space to continue her vision.

Porto said she hopes for a space that can accommodate events for the community. Her ideas include collage and craft nights with vendors, crocheting or jewelry-making classes. She would also plan to keep supporting local businesses, having food trucks that normally don’t have a place to sell in the winter.

Though the store’s physical doors may be closed for now, in the meantime, Eileen still has some inventory left over and plans on participating in crafts fairs in June and the pride parade.

“We miss our customers, we miss being out in the community,” Porto said. “It was a fun time while it lasted.”

Published on January 30, 2024 at 10:30 pm