A business designed to give entrepreneurs a storefront will soon fill a major Millington retail vacancy.

Memphis-based Open Marketplace is slated to open its first location inside the old Walmart at 8235 U.S. 51 in April, providing up to 300 businesses an affordable retail environment in which to sell their products and services. It plans to add three more locations in the Memphis area.

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“With the onset of large retailers like Walmart and Target, it’s very difficult for a small-business owner to start up, much less survive,” said Dan Clevenger, Open Marketplace partner. “We provide a mechanism for existing and new businesses to grow without a significant investment.”

With Open Marketplace, vendors rent booths to display products or information on their services. If a customer wants to buy the product, Open Marketplace employees ring up the sale at the front of the store, much like any other retail store.

Vendors can later collect on their sales, minus a 6.5 percent service charge.

Booths at the store start at $120 a month for an 8- by 10-foot section and can be expanded up to 1,000 square feet.

Clevenger, a Collierville resident and former president of Cadna Automotives, said he expects the business to draw vendors such as homebuilders looking for a showroom, furniture manufacturers and retailers selling closeout items.

Hobbyists selling homemade goods will also be welcome, as long as the products are family-oriented.

“If my 6-year-old can’t buy it, then it’s not going to be allowed,” he said. “We really want to gear this up to be a true family experience.”

The store will also provide support for out-of-town companies who want a Memphis or Millington retail presence. For an extra fee, vendors can see a video feed of their booth online 24 hours a day.

“We hope we will have members come in and eventually move out to their own operation,” Clevenger said. “In today’s economy, people are averse to risk, and we want to take that risk out and give them the opportunity of running their own business.”

The Millington location will be the first Open Marketplace, but Clevenger said the company is finalizing an agreement to open another store in the Memphis area, and there are plans to open two additional locations.

“The reason Millington stood out to us is because of the fact that the community is very involved and tight,” Clevenger said. “With the property being available there, it really worked out for us.”

Along with the addition of a new business, Open Marketplace will fill a 57,000-square-foot vacancy that has existed at the building for almost eight years since Walmart moved to a new location.

“It’s going to draw a lot of people to it,” said Richard Hodges, Millington mayor. “Anything that’s open instead of closed is going to be a big help to the city.”

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