Northside Marketplace

07/18/2026

It is with broken hearts that we announce that Northside Marketplace will permanently close on July 31, 2026.

Northside Marketplace has always been more than a collection of vendors. It was created as a place where local entrepreneurs could take a chance on a dream, where small businesses could grow, and where our community could discover something unique.
From the very beginning, this has been a passion project for our family. We have invested significant time, resources, and financial support because we truly believed in the mission of helping local businesses succeed.

Despite every effort by Testa Companies to try to step back in find a sustainable path forward—including exploring new operating models and the creation of a nonprofit organization—we have reached the difficult conclusion that the Marketplace's current financial realities simply cannot support its future.
While this chapter is ending, the incredible small businesses inside these walls are not.
Over the next two weeks, we are asking our community to help us give these entrepreneurs the sendoff they deserve.
Please visit Northside Marketplace before July 31.
• Shop local.
• Buy a gift.
• Enjoy a meal or treat.
• Tell a friend.
• Share this post.
Every purchase made during these final days directly supports the small business owners who have poured their hearts into their businesses.

We are also encouraged that many of our makers and artisans may have the opportunity to continue their journeys at The Mercantile, a new locally focused marketplace opening this September at Cascade Plaza in downtown Akron. We have been working with co-founder Shane Wynn to help connect our vendors with this opportunity, and we are hopeful that many of your favorite businesses will find a new home there.
As those vendors announce their plans, we encourage you to continue supporting them by following them to their next chapter. Local entrepreneurs are the heart of our communities, and they thrive because of customers like you.

To every customer who visited, every vendor who took a chance, every employee, volunteer, and supporter—thank you. You made Northside Marketplace something truly special, and we will always be grateful for the memories we created together. We watched hundreds of local entrepreneurs take a chance on their dream, test out their concepts and hone their skills in running their own business. We have several major success stories of owners quitting their day job to go all in on what was previously their side hustle. They hired employees, expanded, went into bricks and mortar in our community and even purchased their own buildings. We brought Ebay to Akron to launch their National Retail Revival program from the Northside Marketplace and American Express showcased us in their Shop Small Everyday campaigns. This experience has proved that shopping small matters and that Akron has a wealth of talent that just needs the opportunity to shine and be seen.
Let's make these final two weeks a celebration of the amazing entrepreneurs who made this place what it was.

-Joel Testa, Testa Companies CEO and Northside Marketplace Founder.

06/09/2026

Just restocked! We love Picket Fences Bakery’s Gluten Free Treats! 🍪🖤

Hey friends!
Kicking off your gluten free week, we have gf blueberry lemon muffins, chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies Northside Marketplace

21 Furnace St Akron 44308

05/10/2026

What's next at Akron's Northside Marketplace? New leadership promises to return trust. . See link below ⬇️

📸 Andrew Dolph, Akron Beacon Journal

05/09/2026

We at Testa Companies want to provide a clear update on the path forward for Northside Marketplace.

In light of recent posts and community concerns, Testa Companies have been in direct communication with Justin Lepley to fully understand the current state of Marketplace operations, since his takeover in 2022 until now including vendor payments and financial obligations. Through this process, it has become clear that the Marketplace has been operating at a significant loss for some time and despite his best efforts to keep it afloat, it is not sustainable in its current structure.

We also want to directly acknowledge the vendors who have not received payment for their sales. This situation is unacceptable, and we understand the real impact it has had on your businesses. Many of these funds were used to cover operational expenses in an effort to keep the Marketplace open, but that does not change our responsibility to make this right.

Because of this, Testa Companies has made the decision to step in and take back ownership and operational control of Northside Marketplace.
Moving forward, the Marketplace will transition into a nonprofit organization under a newly formed 501(c)(3), the Marketplace Foundation. Our goal is to create a vendor-led, community-controlled business, supported by a board of directors made up of Marketplace vendors and experienced outside advisors. We created this concept for the vendors and the community, so we feel it is only right to give them ownership and control of it.

Our immediate priorities are simple:
▪️Ensure vendors are paid
▪️Stabilize operations
▪️Rebuild trust

Effective immediately, 100% of all new sales proceeds will be paid out to vendors on a weekly basis.

In parallel, we will work directly with each individual vendor to reconcile and repay all outstanding balances as quickly and transparently as possible.

To support long-term success, we are also launching a mentorship program available to all vendors at no cost.
This will include weekly sessions focused on business development, marketing, sales, and financial management, along with opportunities for peer collaboration. These sessions will be led by Joel Testa and will include guest experts in various areas of business and personal development.

We are grateful that several respected, long-standing vendors have stepped forward to help lead this next chapter. Initial board members will include:
▪️Wesley (Akron Honey)
▪️ Preston (7th Floor Clothing)
▪️September (Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Center)

Joel Testa will serve as Executive Director and will lead the mentorship and operational transition.

Over the next several weeks, we will work closely with Justin and his team to transition all accounts and assets, with a target completion by the end of June.

This is a reset, but more importantly, it’s an opportunity to rebuild the Marketplace the right way: with transparency, accountability, and a structure that ensures vendors come first, their voices are heard, and their funds are protected.

To our vendors and community: we hear you, and we are committed to helping you build the Marketplace you deserve.

More updates will be shared as progress continues.

Joel A Testa | President | Chief Operating Officer | Testa Companies

Our approach to property management has always been based on one thing – client satisfaction. Visit our website to learn more about our services, rentals, and homes for sale.

05/04/2026

We want to take a moment to address recent concerns that have been shared publicly regarding delayed vendor payments at Northside Marketplace.

First and foremost, Wes of Akron Honey, and any vendor experiencing delays, has every right to feel frustrated. These delays are real, and we fully recognize the impact they have on small businesses and their cash flow. That impact is not lost on us.

When we took over Northside Marketplace in late 2022, we stepped into a model that was already facing significant financial challenges. Since that time, we have worked to make meaningful changes toward long-term sustainability, but like many small businesses, the past year has intensified financial pressures in ways that have been difficult to fully overcome.

An unfortunate reality is that, at times, these challenges have resulted in delayed payments to vendors. While we have made efforts to communicate transparently about these delays, we understand that communication does not replace timely payment. In some cases, that transparency may have come too late to be meaningful, and for that, I take full responsibility.

My top priority has been preserving Northside Marketplace as a space for entrepreneurship, creativity, and community. That mission has guided every decision, even in difficult moments. I have personally committed to ensuring that every vendor is paid in full and have used outside income to help close gaps wherever possible. Even so, delays have occurred, and I recognize the strain they create.

Since the beginning of this year, we have been actively engaged in conversations with the City of Akron, local foundations, and funding partners to secure support that will stabilize and strengthen the Marketplace for the future. These processes take time, but they are an important part of building a more sustainable path forward.
I am deeply grateful to the vendors who have shown patience and understanding during this time. At the same time, we fully respect and understand the decisions of those who have chosen to step away. These challenges should not become a burden that our vendors are expected to carry.

Northside Marketplace means a great deal to many people, and we remain committed to doing the work necessary to move forward with greater stability, accountability, and care for those who make this community what it is.

With care and respect,

Justin Lepley 🖤

04/27/2026

Join us THIS WEDNESDAY! for the first event in the Werk It Out with series of co-working experiences designed to inspire productivity and connection 🏳️‍🌈🫶 featuring massages by .unbound + bites and sips from

04/22/2026

I am incredibly grateful for the meaningful connections that the YIPPEE Exchange continues to create between the programming we offer at Northside Marketplace and K through 12 educators and students across our region. It is a powerful reminder of what is possible when we intentionally bridge education and real world entrepreneurial experiences.

No matter what a young person is passionate about, exploring it through an entrepreneurial lens helps build critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to see challenges as opportunities. Those are skills that will serve them for a lifetime, in any path they choose.

I am especially humbled by this video and the voices of the students who shared their experiences. Hearing directly from them about what this opportunity means is both inspiring and deeply affirming of why this work matters.

If you know a K through 12 educator in Northeast Ohio or beyond, please help spread the word and make sure they are aware of this incredible platform and the opportunities it provides, made possible through the generosity of partners like the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. 🧡🖤



Learn more on our website: www.northsidemarketplace.com/field-trips

04/20/2026

ArtLan Florist (a Lepley & Co. Company) is hiring! 🌿

Swipe for more details 💐

# deliverydriver

03/29/2026

We are so excited to welcome three incredible youth-led businesses into Northside Marketplace today as part of the Young Entrepreneur Institute Youth Market!

Today’s featured young entrepreneurs include Mason Made Printing, Hints of Hope (a Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio company from GlenOak High School), and Etched Erie, led by two talented brothers bringing their creativity to life.

If you are in the area between now and 2 PM, be sure to stop by, say hello, and support these rising entrepreneurs. There is nothing better than seeing the next generation step into their ideas with confidence and purpose.

And keep an eye out for more YEI Youth Markets happening across Northeast Ohio — the future of entrepreneurship is already here. 🖤🧡✨