Smål Market is a new merchant’s collective and local shop incubator located in the heart of Ballard.
A program of Ballard Alliance, the market’s mission is to help small businesses establish their first brick and mortar stores while creating a vibrant shopping experience for all. The initiative provides affordable shared retail space in a premier location, plus communal resources such as dedicated support staff and ongoing business education programming.
We sought out a creative name that was at once memorable, uniquely Ballard, and succinctly shared the story of small shops thriving together. Drawing from Ballard’s Nordic heritage, Smål (meaning “small”) represents the small businesses, while Market underscores the communal setting and prime Market Street location.
Through team brainstorms, space walkthroughs, mood boards, and mock-ups, we supported an overall vision for Smål Market’s minimalist and natural Scandinavian look—from branding to signage to digital presence—visually uniting six unique shops under one roof.
