About Us!

The story of Marketplace on Main!

Locally owned, operated, & designed to support up and coming small business entrepreneurs, budding artisans, and talented makers and craftsmen Marketplace on Main is a small-business incubator of sorts.  Our vision is to be a blend of small-businesses in one brick and mortar location selling the goods that we make or create or source. Our mission is to support each other in our endeavor to grow as small business owners while we provide an afforable option for selling their wares. 

We opened our doors in September of 2023 after years of dreaming up this concept!

This dream is the brainchild of creative thinker Anna Firestone, the owner and operator.  Former educator and instructional coach, her brain rarely stops creating and coming up with new ideas! Anna, who also owns two of the small businesses inside MPoM (Designs by Beverly and From the Heart Art), comes from a family of artists and makers and entrepreneurs.  Her vision for this store is to encourage and support others as they grow their own dreams and visions, while also providing the local community a unique one-stop shop to support local and regional artisans and makers.

Being able to open this store is an answered prayer for Anna after facing her own  health battle and being called to leave education and travel a different path. As the Lord grows this store and its reach, each of the vendors experiences successes of their own while the visitors and customers of MPoM rave about the atmosphere of our unique little brick and mortar on Main Street in the adorable small town of Gardendale, AL.  

We seek to become the first choice stop for gifts for any occasion! We offer local paraben and parrafin free candles from Dolce Vita Candle Co. currently, as well as frameable art and notecards by From the Heart Art. MPoM also carries children's clothing with classic and original artwork from Designs by Beverly, and if anyone is seeking local gameday or mascot gear or jewelry then we are the shop for you! Our local vendors Handmade Alabama, B's Tees, and Cozy Mama keep us stocked! Lastly, three local woodworking favorites have made us their storefront homes for their gorgeous work! Lost and Found, Inscribed Laser, and The Grey Shed always have a great selection of door hangers, leaners, and other custom gifting items available.  

Marketplace On Main

The Marketplace on Main is an incubator for those people! We aim to help build and grow other small businesses while we all share a brick & mortar storefront! Our boutique feel with an integrated shopping experience will have an upscale feel with all of our local, smaller community charm! No need to drive over the mountain anymore for gifts, handmade & refinished furniture, handcrafted wares and so much more when we have it right here in our own beautiful city! This will not be shopping in another booth filled store, it WILL BE shopping in a classy shop that supports and promotes artisans, crafts people in their trade, and small business entrepreneurs right here on Main Street in the heart of the city.

Our Wonderful Employees!

  • Anna Firestone

    Anna is the owner, operator, and all around crazy lady behind it all! She is a former educator of middle and high schoolers, and most recently an Instructional Coach of 7 years. However, after recently completely her EDS in Instructional Leadership, Anna knew the Lord was leading her to change paths completely.

    In 2022, Anna began making those major career adjustments when her health also began to drastically impact her daily life. After much testing and searching, a diagnosis of hypogammaglobulinemia (try to say that 3 times fast) and a chronic case of shingles still lingering now in fall of 2024.

    She started MPoM from the ground up with a vision in her head & hope in her heart that even if she couldn't be her 100%-Killin'-Teacher-Always-on- Point self anymore, she could at least still use her skills, talents, half-speed energy levels, and love for people to make some kind of difference in her community

    The Lord made Marketplace on Main possible allllllllll around the same time he brought Designs by Beverly and From the Heart art small businesses into her life.

  • Evie Gray

    Evie started working at From the Heart Art in December 2021 when it was based in Opelika, AL with the original owner & artist. She learned as much as she could about all aspects of the business. She ended up getting married in 2023 & took the summer off of work to move to Birmingham, AL. Once she saw that From the Heart was purchased by Anna & moved to Gardendale, she contacted Anna about working for her! And she has been working at Marketplace since it’s open in September 2023.

  • Aubrey Daily

    My name is Aubrey Daily! I am currently at UAB studying to get my bachelors in Social work then going to get my Masters to practice medical social work. I love working at Marketplace on Main. It is such a great place to be. I love seeing all the new things that come in each day. It is so incredible to see what talent we have surrounding us.

  • Kristie Cupps

    Hello, I’m Kristie. After recently retiring from the dental field. Anna asked if I would be interested in helping her at Marketplace on Main, of course, I said yes!! I enjoy working with everyone here and seeing our new inventory each week, we have some very talented people in our community. I have been married for 29 years to my high school sweetheart and we have three boys. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time at the lake, camping, and reading.

  • Emma McGruder

    Hey my name is Emma! I’m 15 years old and a Freshman at Gardendale High School! I started working at Marketplace on Main in September and I am looking forward many years with them
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