St. Louis shoppers will get a chance to buy from the city's newest crop of young entrepreneurs, ages 14 to 24, this weekend, as the Zeeoma Youth Marketplace opens to the public before a formal gala at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis. The marketplace runs from 2 to 6 p.m., bringing items from emerging entrepreneurs making their St. Louis debut to shoppers looking for something handmade.
According to FOX 2, the Zeeoma Youth Marketplace and Gala is set for the Ritz-Carlton at 100 Carondelet Plaza in St. Louis, with the station reporting the event falls on Sunday, November 8, 2026. Zeeoma's own website describes the evening portion, the Rooted & Rising Gala, as taking place Saturday, November 8, at the same venue, according to zeeoma.org; November 8, 2026, falls on a Sunday. The marketplace is open to the public and invites attendees to support St. Louis youth making their entrepreneurial debut, per the station's report.
Gala cocktail hour runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m., with the full gala continuing until 11 p.m., the same report notes. Individual gala tickets are priced at $300, with sponsor tables also available, according to Zeeoma's website. More information is available at zeeoma.org, per the FOX 2 report.
A Three-Day Crash Course in Running a Business
The marketplace vendors come out of an open call Zeeoma ran for St. Louis-area entrepreneurs ages 14 to 24, who were invited to learn, curate, sell, and run a marketplace of handmade goods by emerging African makers, earning a $2,000 stipend along with business skills, mentors, and global connections in just three days, the organization's website states. Applications for that open call closed October 22, 2026, per zeeoma.org.
Zeeoma says every $5,000 raised funds a full cycle — training a young person, paying a maker, and bringing a collection to market, according to the same source. The organization is aiming to raise $500,000 a year, and $1.5 million over three years, to scale that cycle and eventually open a permanent St. Louis marketplace, Zeeoma's website states.
From a West County Concept Store to a Citywide Push
Zeeoma first introduced itself to St. Louis shoppers as a curated concept store in West County Center, bridging St. Louis with Lagos, Nigeria, through fashion and culture, according to a branded-content piece from St. Louis Magazine. The store carries pieces from both established and emerging African designers, that article notes. Juliet Ezepue, identified as a co-founder of Zeeoma, is quoted in the piece discussing the business.
The youth marketplace model fits into a broader trend of hands-on entrepreneurship programming reaching St. Louis-area kids this fall. Kids Markets, described by St. Louis Public Radio as an international nonprofit initiative funded by grants and donations, teaches young entrepreneurs the ins and outs of running a business in real time. The outlet reported that a recent Kids Markets event at Eckert's Farm in Belleville on September 12 featured booths run entirely by kids ages 5 to 17, each receiving hands-on instruction, with a follow-up market held October 3 in St. Peters.
What to Expect at the St. Louis Event
For St. Louis shoppers, the appeal is straightforward: a chance to buy directly from young vendors making their entrepreneurial debut while supporting a cause tied to international design and local mentorship. The Zeeoma Youth Marketplace appeared on Studio STL ahead of Sunday's event, and organizers are positioning the afternoon market as the public-facing counterpart to the evening's ticketed gala.
Those interested in attending either portion of the event, or in learning more about sponsor tables and ticket pricing, can find details at zeeoma.org.
