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Nestled between mountains and ocean in Valdez, Alaska, The Gift Shop stands as a vibrant retail oasis in a town with limited shopping options. Owner Celeste Addison has created a thriving retail experience that puts sustainability and ethical sourcing at its core. The first Black-owned business the town has ever had, The Gift Shop serves both the local community and the many tourists who visit this remote location.
But building this business in a town five hours from the nearest McDonald’s wasn’t without its challenges, particularly when it came to sourcing inventory. That’s where Faire made all the difference.
A big beginning at the end of a remote road
“We are at the end of the road,” Celeste explains about Valdez, a community about a two-hour drive from the next town. Before The Gift Shop opened, there were extremely limited retail options for locals seeking anything beyond practical outdoor gear.
Celeste spotted this gap in the market and envisioned a store that would bring joy to the community. “I was missing TJ Maxx. I really miss TJ Maxx,” she laughs. “I wanted my store to be like if Anthropologie and TJ Maxx had a baby, and then that baby got with a clothes mentor and they had a baby—that would be my store.”
The result is what Celeste calls “dopamine decorating”—a bright, colorful space designed to boost serotonin levels the moment customers walk through the door. In a place that’s “very gray a lot of the time,” The Gift Shop offers a much-needed sensory escape.
Customers often tell her, “This doesn’t feel like we’re in Valdez anymore.” One woman shared that she was “really needing a place to go and just feel good about myself and feel like a girl.”
Values beyond profit
From the beginning, Celeste knew she wanted sustainability to be central to her business model. “I’m very passionate about ethical shopping and the environment,” she explains. “I wanted my store to be fun and have a lot of fun stuff, but I wanted it all to be ethically made and produced. I didn’t want mass-produced items.”
This commitment to sustainability shapes every decision at The Gift Shop. Most clothing items are secondhand on consignment from community members, with every piece inspected for quality. “I want people to remember: ‘I got this at The Gift Shop, and it’s lasted me forever,’ ” Celeste says. She prioritizes small-batch products over mass-produced items and focuses on supporting women- and minority-owned businesses. This ethical approach resonates with both locals and tourists, creating a shopping experience that aligns with growing consumer consciousness around sustainability.
The Faire grant that changed everything
Like many small business owners, Celeste faced significant financial hurdles when launching her store. “I had $0 when I started this store,” she says. Unable to secure a traditional business loan, she initially bootstrapped with $5,000 borrowed from an individual and relied heavily on the consignment model.
While consignment was a low-cost way to stock her shelves initially—partnering with 27 Alaskan small businesses—the 70/30 profit split (in the artists’ favor) made it difficult to cover the $2,800 monthly rent and other expenses.
Everything changed when Celeste won a $5,000 grant through Faire. “Winning that grant from Faire was literally life-changing,” she says. “I know $5,000 goes really quickly, but that was technically $10,000 worth of inventory that I had the option of coming in.”
The impact was immediate and substantial. The grant allowed Celeste to begin purchasing wholesale inventory for the first time and support fellow small business owners she admired but couldn’t previously afford. She was finally able to order from Pure and Coco, whose minimum order of $500 had been out of reach.
Since the inventory was funded by the grant, Celeste generated 100% profit on these sales, only needing to cover shipping costs. This revenue carried her through the crucial Christmas season and the slow month of January that followed. “I don’t think I would’ve survived without this grant,” Celeste admits. “That’s what got me through Christmas, which allowed me to make it through January.”
Even more importantly, the grant created a sustainable cycle of wholesale purchasing that continues today. “Because I got that grant, then I was able to buy more wholesale. It was just like the little kick start that I needed to be able to bring in some revenue for the business.”
Discovering products beyond Valdez
In addition to the financial support, Faire has become Celeste’s primary platform for discovering new products that align with her store’s vision. “Most of the businesses in my store I discovered through Faire,” she says.
She regularly uses Faire’s search filters to find products that match her criteria—particularly woman-owned, Made in America brands. Her treasure hunts have yielded unique items like South Park–themed bath bombs and candles made from recycled beer cans that perfectly fit The Gift Shop’s sustainable yet fun aesthetic.
Today, alongside the 27 Alaskan small businesses that sell on consignment in her store, Celeste carries products from 50 small businesses across the country that she’s purchased wholesale—primarily through Faire. And they’re all women- and minority-owned businesses, a priority she’s increasingly focused on.
The gang’s all here
The Gift Shop has quickly become more than just a store—it’s a community hub. Celeste has begun hosting craft nights focusing on recycled crafts, using products from Make & Mend, a brand she discovered on Faire.
“That’s what I want to do—bring the community together and make a space for people to come and not just shop, but also be creative,” she says.
This commitment to community-building perfectly complements her sustainable business model, creating a holistic approach that serves Valdez in multiple ways.
As The Gift Shop continues to grow, Celeste remains committed to her core values of sustainability, community support, and ethical business practices. Her success has earned recognition beyond Valdez—the merchandiser for Norwegian Cruise Lines told her that her store “was the best he had seen at any port.”
For Celeste, that validation confirms what she already knew: Even in remote locations, sustainable, community-focused businesses can thrive with the right support and partnerships. And for retailers following in her footsteps, she offers this advice: “You have to have the audacity to succeed.”
Faire makes it possible to discover unique, ethically sourced products, and The Gift Shop is positioned to remain a vibrant fixture in Valdez for years to come—bringing sustainable retail therapy to the end of the road.
Are you ready to let Faire help you create your own community-shifting independent boutique? Sign up for Open With Faire today!
