RICHMOND, Va. -- A beloved Richmond shop that's been open for decades may be forced to shut down.
Ten Thousand Villages, nestled in the heart of Carytown is a shop and non-profit full of international trinkets all made by hand. It's a part of a global village that focuses on fair trade, sourcing all of its products from underserved communities.
"Our mission at Ten Thousand Villages is to help artisans in developing countries by selling their handcrafted products here," said Executive Director of the Richmond location, Aisha Eqbal. "I’ve been shopping here since I was in middle school."
Eqbal said the store has been a Richmond staple for almost thirty years now. "A lot of our artisans we've had a very long-term relationship with. So, we've definitely seen a great impact on their lives," she said.
The store is filled with over 1,000 unique items from artisans all over the world. "As of right now, we work with anywhere from 30 to 50 countries, but like 100,000 artists and groups within those countries," said Eqbal.
Despite their previous success, the store is now in jeopardy of closing due to a decrease in sales.
"We're reaching 30 years, but we're really scared that we're not going to make it, this year has been the worst we've seen," said Eqbal. "We've noticed brick and mortar stores suffering...houses and cars are getting so expensive. So I don't think people are shopping as much."
She said she hopes the store and its relationships with artisans can survive. "It'd be very sad for the community and for us and for our global community, if the store was to close," Eqbal said.
She said support is desperately needed as it could have a huge impact on thousands of families across the world. "Seeing these products and seeing the detail that goes into this, and they're handcrafted, and they're made with such love," she said. "Even losing one store with thousands of products will impact them."
There are several ways to help Ten Thousand Villages meet their $60,000 goal to put in a holiday order and keep their doors open. You can find the recovery fundraiser here, the store has also partnered with Natalie's Taste of Lebanon where some of the proceeds on Nov 30 will go towards the store.
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