Made in the USVI Pop Up Shop Returns to Main Street St. Thomas for Holiday Season
08 December 2025
The “Made in the USVI” Pop-Up Shop is returning to downtown Charlotte Amalie this holiday season, with organizers positioning it as both a showcase for locally made products and a tool to support small manufacturers and artisans across the territory. The Virgin Islands Council on the Arts (VICA) and the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority’s Enterprise Zone Commission (EZC) have announced that the shop will reopen in December at the Enid M. Baa Library and Archives building on Main Street.
The pop-up will operate from Monday, December 10, 2025, through Monday, December 22, 2025, at the Enid M. Baa Library and Archives building next to the stoplight on Main Street in downtown Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Regular hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays. The shop will be closed on Sundays. During “Miracle on Main Street,” the hours will be extended to give residents and visitors additional time to visit.
The holiday store features USVI-themed merchandise created by local artists and artisans, offering a range of gifts made in the U.S. Virgin Islands, including food items, bags, clothing, artwork, spa merchandise, and other products. According to the organizers, the “Made in the USVI” Pop-Up Shop provides another opportunity for USVI residents and visitors to purchase unique items produced within the territory.
"We are most definitely enthusiastic about hosting another Made in the USVI Pop-Up Shop on St. Thomas this holiday season,” said Nadine Marchena Kean, managing director, Enterprise Zone Commission. “This is always an opportunity for us to let the world know the U.S. Virgin Islands community has talented artists and artisans, pride in its culture, and tremendous aspirations for entrepreneurship. Our partnership with the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts continues to highlight made-in-the-USVI merchandise for the world right from our Territory’s shores. We thank our USVI residents and visitors for continuing to support these businesses," added Mrs. Marchena Kean.
The agencies describe pop-up stores as short-term retail spaces temporarily set up in available locations so customers can experience a business’s products first-hand. They are presented as excellent opportunities to support local businesses and to find one-of-a-kind holiday gifts while celebrating the rich culture and craftsmanship of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
According to Capital One Shopping Research, temporary retail spaces or pop-up shops generate an estimated $80 billion in annual revenue, with projections indicating that market value will exceed $95 billion in 2025. An average pop-up shop, the research notes, is active for 3 to 14 days. According to Shopify.com, this sales strategy is used to build brand awareness, test new markets, and help increase sales for various small businesses. It also provides customers with exclusive experiences, helps to build a customer base for merchandise, and gives landlords opportunities to fill vacant spaces in their properties.
The EZC and VICA jointly launched their first “Made in the USVI” Pop Up Shop in 2018 on Main Street. Through that collaboration, the agencies sought to assist local, licensed small manufacturers and artisans by expanding their opportunities for business growth within the U.S. Virgin Islands and beyond the territory.
For more information about the “Made in the USVI” Pop Up Shop, the announcement directs interested persons to contact VICA at 340-774-4458, send an email to [email protected], or visit the VICA office in the white building across from the Frederick Evangelical Lutheran Church and Fort Christian in downtown Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
