Minneapolis Gift Shop Corazon Doubles Down on Local Art

Corazon, the Longfellow gift boutique that has sold Minneapolis-made art since 2005, has expanded into the former Papa Murphy's space next door, breaking past the 900-square-foot footprint that long constrained its ambitions. The move coincides with a succession: founder Susan Zdon is preparing to retire, and her son Max and his wife Sam are taking over the family business.

Zdon, a longtime retail buyer and sales rep, opened Corazon in the Warehouse District in 2005. The shop later landed in Longfellow, where its mix of locally made jewelry, ceramics, art, apothecary, accessories and gifts built a loyal neighborhood following. Roughly two-thirds of its inventory comes from local makers.

That number says most of what needs saying about the store's priorities.

What changes with the bigger space?

The next generation isn't reinventing Corazon. They're building on its ethos, with more room to do it. The larger footprint allows elaborate displays, events and pop-ups that the old 900 square feet simply couldn't host.

The expansion also creates more opportunities to spotlight emerging artists, many of whom Corazon works with on consignment (the maker keeps ownership and gets paid only when items sell) while they develop their brands.

A new workshop space will host community classes:

• mosaic making
• rug tufting
• a planned fix-it clinic

What's a 'shop within the shop'?

Max and Sam plan to experiment with seasonal "shops within the shop" — temporary concepts with their own identities and tightly edited assortments. First up: a candy shop planned for winter.

"We're excited to make it kind of an experience beyond just a store," Max said.

Think less traditional retail expansion, more room for discovery. In a retail climate that has not been kind to small boutiques, betting on experience and local makers is a deliberate strategy rather than nostalgia.

The succession carries the familiar texture of a family business changing hands: same name, same ethos, new candy aisle. Whether the "shops within the shop" model and workshop programming can convert extra square footage into sustained foot traffic will be the test of the second generation's stewardship.

Corazon is located at 4646 E. Lake St., Minneapolis; 612-556-7498. The winter candy shop will be the first signal of where the expanded store, and its new owners, intend to take it.

By Daniel Okafor