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Sofia Martinez isn’t the type of person to ask for help.
However, Screws and Sparkles was forced to relocate when its previous location was sold. It was a struggle after that.
“We had to leave,” Martinez said. “I was just disappointed that the building was going to be sold.”
Eager to stay in Downtown Buckeye, the Martinez family was only able to find space that was significantly larger than their last location, ranging from about 1,200 square feet to 9,000 square feet.
Screws & Sparkles is on the brink of closing permanently, leaving local creatives with no space to sell their wares.
Since opening, Screws and Sparkles has welcomed local creators to sell their products. Home to dozens of business owners, Screws and Sparkles is stocked with items such as homemade soaps, children’s clothing, and wall art. A coffee and sweets shop provides sustenance to guests.
“I love these small businesses and I love downtown,” Martinez said. “The owners of this historic building took a chance on a family-run business. We had 2,000 people come to our opening night in the new building. It was shocking.
“People love Screw and Sparkles. We love Screw and Sparkles. The closure will have a huge impact on the local economy. Every family indoors will be affected. We need help financially, but my family is doing everything they can to keep the doors open. I decided to do something vulnerable and ask the community.”
The Martinez family is campaigning to raise money to keep Screws & Sparkles open, pay down debt, consolidate small loans and hire a small staff. Currently, the store is run by the family and a team of volunteers.
Dozens of people and local business owners have offered to help. But Sophia is asking the Buckeye Economic Development team to pay attention to the current situation downtown.
“I don’t want to leave downtown,” she said. “I have a dream that downtown Buckeye will thrive, filled with people roaming the streets, couples on date nights, and a variety of boutiques and ice cream shops. In other words, I want it to be a destination.
“I can see it even when I close my eyes. I don’t know if I’m crazy or what, but I feel that way because of the love I have for this work. At the same time, we want to support stay-at-home moms[with small businesses]and local businesses.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 18% of small businesses fail within the first year and 50% fail after five years. About 65% retire by their 10th year. It says about 17 million new small and medium-sized businesses opened in 2022, the last available statistics.
Screws and Sparkles stocks products from countless small businesses.
Martinez said he has done his best to keep Screws & Sparkles afloat.
“It’s very vulnerable to put it out there,” Martinez added.
“Still, it’s worth it. When you love something you take a risk, and everything I’ve done here for six years has been a risk. I’ve cried and prayed a lot. Everyone here knows that I am a woman of faith. When I posted on social media, I asked faith leaders to join us.”
This is Screws and Sparkles’ third location. The first store opened on Main Street five and a half years ago. The current store was a former grocery store that had been vacant for 30 years.
“We came there and brought life to it,” she said. “It’s beautiful right now. That’s the importance of downtown revitalization. That’s why we’re planted here. We know what this season is for, and it’s not easy.”
Staying in Downtown Buckeye was important to the Martinez family. Martinez attributes the first place to divine intervention.
“Originally, we were going to open a store in Goodyear,” she said. “As I was driving to Goodyear in my MC85, the Lord dropped something on my heart and said, ‘This is where you’re going to open a store.’
“After the last building was sold, I knew our time downtown was over. I looked at other buildings in Buckeye, but the voice to go downtown was so strong that I was drawn back. The only building available was a huge historic pottery building. So we pushed forward with all our might. All we needed was a miracle.”
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