BROOKLYN — A building in downtown Brooklyn that’s more than 100 years old is now one of the area’s more unique shopping destinations.

Choate Marketplace opened the day after Thanksgiving in 2023. The building was once Cooper’s Department Store and, more recently, the WellWise Services Area Agency on Aging before Kate Manville-Schwartz and her husband, Matt, bought the building with the idea of turning it into a retail mall.

“In our minds, we just returned it to its retail glory,” Manville-Schwartz said. 

The marketplace pulls together numerous businesses, many of them with a creative bent, under one roof. Alli Grant works as the market manager.

Choate Marketplace consists of two areas. 

The Central Market, on the first floor, features an art gallery, a paint-your-own pottery studio called Crockery, specialty foods at Plot Whisk, children’s toys at Merry Thread, textile arts at Mountain Nan, a bookstore called The Talebearer, a rental venue called the Game Lounge, and Buzz Bytes, a rental suite for content creators.

The North Market, on the second floor, features Kate’s Art School, art supplies at Nibs & Nozzles, and another event space called The Upper.

The Gallery offers complimentary hot tea and window seating with a view onto the street, as well as “artsy, gift-shop” items, Manville-Schwartz said. It also features rotating artists, with works by acrylic artist Julie Durocher and Manville-Schwartz herself currently on display.

Mountain Nan features Fair Trade and artisan wares such as textiles, ceramic tiles, tea pots and travel mugs. Mountain Nan is currently featuring ceramic art by Lynn Holcomb and macramé by Kyla Galloway.

Merry Thread features toys that inspire creative, open-ended play, Manville-Schwartz said, such as games, art supplies, kits and a “try-it” painting station. 

Plot Whisk celebrates the culinary arts and home décor, featuring kitchen tools, home décor, and specialty culinary items such as saffron and white truffle oil. 

The Talebearer offers fiction and nonfiction books, as well as writing materials, craft kits, toys, and gifts. It is owned separately by Stacy Halacka, who bought the business from Manville-Schwartz in February 2025.

The Game Lounge is a rental venue that features arcade machines like Pac Man, board games, and other entertainment. The rental cost is $5 per hour per person. It can be rented for groups and is also available on a drop-in basis. Adult supervision is required, and food and drink is allowed. 

BuzzBytes Content Suite and Office is a modern business center that features a sound-dampened studio suitable for podcast recordings, livestreamed events, and video productions. 

Also in the Central Market is Crockery, an art studio in which customers can choose from a variety of bisque ware and paint it with supplies available on site. Manville-Schwartz then fires the pottery, which is ready for customer pickup in around two weeks. 

Customers can enjoy the studio on a drop-in basis, but Manville-Schwartz recommends scheduling an appointment. The studio is available for group bookings. More information can be found at crockerypaintedpottery.com. 

In the North Market, Upper is a venue with space suitable for karaoke, showers, viewing parties and other gatherings. There is seating for up to 35 people and a 75-inch TV, as well as table seating, refrigerators and coolers, and a stage. Customers can bring their own food and alcohol for events. 

Nibs and Nozzles is a fine art supply store, located in the North Market.

“It’s truly fine arts for drawing and painting,” Manville-Schwartz said. The quality products sold in the store help bridge the artists from being a hobby artist to being a fine artist, she said. 

Also in the second-floor North Market is Kate’s Art School, in which Manville-Schwartz offers adult drawing and painting classes. All students must first complete a Drawing 101 class. They can then sign up to take other classes, such as additional drawing, acrylic painting, watercolor, oil pastel, soft pastel and oil painting. 

More information on Kate’s Art School can be found at katesartschool.com.

Manville-Schwartz has a degree in visual arts education from Spring Arbor University and has been teaching art for 17 years.  She has a background in business management and development. 

Choate Marketplace is at 102 N. Main St, Brooklyn. More information is available at choatemarketplace.com, by email at choatemarketplace@gmail.com, or by calling 517-938-8794.