Cotati chamber hosts outdoor shopping event to support local businesses

Last spring, Yvette Racines’ business was shattered by the coronavirus pandemic, with shutdown orders keeping clients from coming to her downtown Cotati yoga studio and wellness center.

She had to close The Center for Vital Living to the public, but she continued paying rent, and pivoted to online classes, filming at the studio. She also started an online store at thecenterforvitalliving.com.

“It was really intense trying to convert everything to online,” Petaluma resident Racines said. “It was a really stressful time.”

A year later, she’s happy and looking forward to hosting a booth at the first Shop Into Spring event, an outdoor, pandemic-friendly market in Cotati’s La Plaza Park on Saturday that’s designed to showcase local small businesses.

To supplement her income, Racines turned to making organic skin products, something she had done before to a lesser extent. Her creations include facial oils, lip balm, salt scrub soaked in apricot oil and an orange creme moisturizing lotion. She even created a mask spray with a witch hazel base and essential oils like sweet orange and rose geranium that “lift the mood,” she said.

“This event will help me get the word out about these new products,” she said. “Up to now its been word-of-mouth and reaching out to my yoga clients.”

Liz Derammelaere, executive director of the Cotati Chamber of Commerce, which is hosting the event, said her group had success with a similar event in December called Shop and Stroll. They decided to hold the new shopping extravaganza to boost local businesses, artists and artisans recovering from the pandemic. Nearly 200 people have already expressed interest in coming to the event publicized on the group's Facebook page. It runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at La Plaza Park in the center of town.

"We're promoting a safe activity to support our local county businesses," Derammelaere said. "Twenty-eight vendors will be showing unique items made in Sonoma County at the park."

Derammelaere said the pandemic hit the downtown area hard, especially bars and restaurants that depended heavily on Sonoma State University students, most of whom had left campus. Many of the businesses participating operate online from home.

Merchants from Cotati as well as Petaluma and other county locations will be selling handmade jewelry, candles and clothing. The Suncatcher Daydream Co. will display suncatchers made from horseshoes, Derammelaere said. Stone’s Throw Gifts shop owner Jasmine Gold, who still has a physical building operating downtown, will be on hand selling her jewelry and aromatherapy items.

The only food sold will be at Lucky Pop Kettle Corn and Polar Ice, with shaved ice. The chamber will be giving out coupons for at least one restaurant, Wing Man, and Cotati Coffee Co., which they hope customers will visit following the open-air event. Coupons will also be available for clothing stores.

The chamber will be selling raffle tickets for prizes.

Booths at the free event will be spaced 6 feet apart and hand sanitizer will be available. Masks will be required for everyone. Email the chamber at chamber@cotati.org or call 707-536-6789 with questions.

You can reach Staff Writer Kathleen Coates at kathleen.coates@pressdemocrat.com.