Meet the Monsoon Market co-founders

Michela and I met nearly ten years ago working at a coffee shop in town. No surprise that our work relationship turned into a friendship and we’ve supported each other in our separate ventures over the years, like Michela’s first business The Early Bird PHX. I, Koral, spent my time working in corporate leadership and retail management and while enjoying my career I always yearned for a business of my own. As the world began to shift in the summer of 2020, we found ourselves together, dreaming about the business we wished existed. 

We met every Monday at The Shop Beer Co. and started to build upon our concept. We ultimately decided we should turn our love language into a retail store – natural wine, craft beer, local bread, artisan cheeses and meats, decadent olive oils, fresh flowers, fun gifts, cheeky greeting cards, smoke wear, candles and incense. Sounds awesome, we know! 

We needed a cool name for our cool shop, and after some sleepless nights, Monsoon Market fell from the sky. Monsoons are mysterious and colorful. They bring life and excitement to the desert. Monsoons are undeniably cool, and as two valley girls, the name stuck. 

The two of us hustled our way through summer and began making moves on signing our lease and moving into our space on 7th ST & Osborn (next door to Wang’s Vintage). We spent a few months rehabbing the space and thrifting everything we might need — from fridges and fixtures, to funky furniture and displays. Committed to being more sustainable and budget conscious, we wanted to find as much as we could second-hand. We spent months searching the valley for the best deals and we were able to furnish our shop and bring our vision for the space to life. 

While we were making moves on the physical space, we were also scouring the internet and traveling to find must-have products for the market. It’s a tough job but someone’s got to sample the goods! We began to build relationships with independent brands and their creators so that we could not only sell their products but also tell their stories. 

Monsoon Market is not your average corner store. We’ve curated our shop to bring a unique offering of goods to central Phoenix. When you shop at Monsoon you’re supporting primarily women-owned, independent businesses. We specialize in natural wine with an extremely curated selection of what’s tasty and chuggable. We’re known for our cute aesthetic and instagrammable space but beyond that we’re a place for discovery and connection. It’s just as much about the vibes as it is the products. We host multiple events a month to highlight other creatives such as DJ’s, artists, food vendors and makers. Community is more than a buzzword to us and we’re going to let Monsoon Market speak for itself.