Batches of fresh salsa, homemade chocolate bars, children’s clothes, candles and upcycled goods are now among the offerings at a new artisan craft market — and bakery storefront — in industrial Belmont.
Michele DeSmet and Courtney Tomioka, the couple behind bakery Made out of Dough, decided that instead of launching just a storefront next to their bakery to sell their products, they’d create a marketplace for other small businesses and vendors to sell their products, too.
“It’s literally an industrial warehouse that we turned into this little co-op,” DeSmet says. “It’s almost like a mini farmers market.”
San Mateo Mayor Rob Newsom Jr., Dawn Olsen, Michele DeSmet, Courtney Tomioka, Belmont Mayor Julia Mates and Sandy Tomioka stand together at the Local Spot’s grand opening. (Courtesy of Rowan Jack and Arianna Cunha)
Some vendors commit to selling their wares on a quarterly basis, while others come through for pop-ups. It’s commission-free, which allows vendors to keep sales prices low, DeSmet adds. The name is inspired by Tomioka’s home state of Hawaii, where “local spot” refers to just that — a space locals favor.
Moving forward, they plan to host food trucks on weekend evenings and open mic nights. This weekend, Oct. 17-18, mobile vendor A la French, will be on-site selling crepes.
The shop opened Aug. 31, and so far, she says, “a lot of people are really excited.”
Details: Open 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday at 196 Old County Road, Belmont; @the.local_spot on Instagram.