Support Small: Meraki Co

Meraki Co.

By Julie Young

There is nothing better than finding a funky and expressive fashion piece – unless it’s the feeling you get when you wear it! According to Courtney Freeman Spann, owner and creative director of Meraki Co, that feeling is the “Meraki Moment.”

“Meraki is an evolutionary brand for change,” she said. “Our muses thrive on bold statement styles, always setting the blueprint for next year’s trends.” Celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, Meraki’s flagship location in Warsaw has been so overwhelmed with love and support from its loyal customers, that Freeman Spann opened a second location in Fort Wayne’s Wells Street Corridor last December. This month, the shop will commemorate its three-month anniversary in the new location on Valentine’s Day. Freeman Spann says each store offers something different to meet the needs of its customers. Meraki carries one-of-a-kind collections that can be kept for generations, while cultivating styles that create double takes for any moment of your life.

“Our best sellers are our exclusive authentic Designer Gems,” she said. “As a lady who loves luxury, it hurts to see how inaccessible some of the world’s finest brands are. I wanted to be able to create and give a small piece of that world to anyone who dreamed of their closet to sparkle with those gems.” With the help of her husband, Freeman Spann looted her personal stash of designer vintage and began to carefully remove buttons from the tops, skirts, bags, jackets, and dresses. She began to solder down and weld together 24K gold plated chains and buttons to make a brand of her own.

“My first collection sold out almost instantly, and I’ve been trying to keep up with the demand ever since,” she said. In addition, Meraki Co. offers Lack of Color, an Australian collection of innovative and luxury headwear that they brought to the U.S. Even a customer who says that they aren’t a “hat person” can’t resist the silk-lined creations that can be molded and reshaped in several unique ways. And of course, the backbone of Meraki is the ever-popular Free People. “Free People is and always will be a brand that Meraki carries as long as we are open and operating,” Freeman Spann said. “It’s the brand that pushed us into taking our first steps on this wild and exciting journey. Just like us, each piece that comes from Free People is uniquely created using the best quality fabrics. Their mission is to create a line of clothing that caters to their customers’ intelligence, creativity, and individuality, while keeping with its great quality and affordability.” Freeman Spann said that when you shop local, customers do more than get the items they are looking for quickly. When you patronize a local store, you stimulate the economy, and help the environment, local schools, and organizations. “Every purchase you make also keeps a dream and passion alive,” she said. “We look forward to becoming your new favorite fashion store!” a

Resource: Meraki Co., Fort Wayne, 260.410.8996, shopmerakimuse.com