SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A popular boutique space in southern Sioux Falls is closing its doors at the end of October, bringing an end to a nearly 5-year run in a space hosting up to 90 vendors.

Stacey Namminga is the owner of Stacey’s Vintage Art Boutique. She opened up the space in the building after Pickers, another local business, moved out. “I advertised the building for lease, and I got a lot of calls from these people saying ‘I don’t need a whole building, I just need a space,’ so there appears to be a need for this type of business,” Namminga said.

Namminga expanded the boutique space in 2020, nearly doubling the facility to its current size of more than 10,000 sq/ft.

“The City and State are planning to put Highway 100 outside here,” Namminga said, gesturing out the front window. “It’ll be six lanes — and right here will be the first place you can turn to get off the interstate.”

While some negotiation is ongoing, the plan is concrete, Stacey’s will be closing.

All of Namminga’s vendors are local, she tells us. “A lot of them have another business in another area — but many do not — we’re still in discussions to see what type of opportunities there might be for me — for people to move with me — those type of things,” she said.

Michelle Martens and Sarah Manthey fall into the category of those without a business in another area.

Martens is the owner of Beautiful Mess Creations, and Manthey owns White Barn Charm.

“My business is mostly home decor,” said Manthey, “It’s evolved and grown over the past few years into gifts and jewelry, clothing, candles and stuff like that.”

Manthey has been a vendor at Stacey’s for three years. “It’s been a great decision for me,” she said. “The traffic has been great, the sales have been great — this location has drawn a lot of people and has really just driven up my business and sales.”

Stacey’s, said Manthey, has been an ideal place for her to sell.

“Stacey’s is it — it’s been a perfect fit for me and my family in the way that I can run my business and sell what I want here and have the help of the staff here selling for me,” she said. “I’m very sad to have it come to an end.”

Manthey isn’t sure what is to come now. She doesn’t have another location lined up, and while she does have a website, she’s not yet set up to sell from it. Going forward, her customers can keep up to date with her on her Facebook page.

Overall, the loss of Stacey’s will be a loss to Manthey and other vendors like her. “It’s frustrating,” she said. “It’s nothing we’ve done wrong, it’s nothing that is any fault of ours or anybody — it’s unfortunate.”

Martens interview with KELOLAND hit on many of the same points. Like Manthey, she only sells at Stacey’s currently, and the venue offered a lot of opportunity for her.

“It’s been perfect for me,” Martens said. “There are people who have bigger booths than me, and then there’s people who have smaller ones — I’ve been there kind of since the beginning and it’s been an amazing journey.”

Martens called herself a low-key business, and described her sales as a bit of a hobby that has also turned into a business. She deals primarily in handmade signs and custom furniture. “I have a little shop in my garage and I like to find unique pieces of furniture and kind of revamp them, give them new life,” she said.

Directional signs — ones carved with the latitude and longitudes of different locations — are where Martens’ business began, and several can still be seen in her booth at Stacey’s.

While Martens does do custom orders from home, Stacey’s is the only place people can browse her products or pick up something already made. “I would love to have another booth somewhere, it’s just kind of hard,” she said. “I don’t know if there’s going to be somewhere even kind of similar to Stacey’s.”

Martens reflected on what made Stacey’s Stacey’s. “There was something for everyone, and I think that’s what I loved about it,” she said. “My booth was so different than anything out there, but then you could go down the aisle and find something you’d love too.”

Now, Namminga is in the process of attempting to sell the building. The final day of business will be October 28, and the building will be available to the buyer in November. It will then have to be moved by January. If it’s not moved, it will be demolished.

“There’s been some interest,” Namminga said. “I’ve just kind of left it up to offers because different people have different needs.”

Namminga is hoping that her vendors can find a new home, and noted that they will be in business for about the next 10 weeks. There will even be a customer appreciation event on October 21. “I’m anticipating we’ll have sales store-wide that day, but that’s up to each individual vendor,” she said.

When business starts winding down, Namminga plans to provide updates on the boutique Facebook page, including information about where to find vendors who have secured spots elsewhere.

While this chapter of Stacey’s in winding to a close, Namminga hopes it’s not the end of the story. “Look for us in the future,” she said.