The newest tenant on the buzzy Nolan Mains roster is Sovereign Collective, an online marketplace designed to deliver an international shopping experience.
We reported about the travel-based retail concept back in 2021 (when local entrepreneur Molly Hanten launched the business), and since, it's grown into a one-stop global shop, featuring goods from over 100 artists and designers from nearly 20 major international cities, from Istanbul to Milan to Barcelona.
After a successful two years operating solely online, selling her hand-picked specialty items via pop-ups in cities like Paris, London, Los Angeles, and Houston, and inviting friends to come discover the collection in her St. Paul apartment (and the brand's storage facility!), Hanten quickly realized there was a promising future for a brick-and-mortar presence.
Sovereign Collective's first showroom is located in a sunny slip of a space (about 800 square-feet) that was previously home to interior designer Bria Hammel's Brooke and Lou. It showcases just a taste of Hanten's impressive assortment, and she plans to rotate regularly based on seasonality and as a way to keep inventory fresh. Many of her brands are exclusive to Sovereign Collective and new to the Twin Cities market.
"I think there's such a return on wanting and craving an in-store experience, allowing you to discover, feel, and see a quality, handcrafted piece," says Hanten, who travels the globe in search of unique, luxury brands not yet represented locally. "It just provides something an online experience can't."
The store also acts as a showroom for customers to shop and discover goods from the entire collection via the store's online directory, with help from Hanten and her associates.
Sovereign Collective is now softly open with an adjusted schedule until its official opening, slated for April 28. 3921 Market St., Edina, shopsovereigncollective.com, @shopsovereigncollective
