LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Women business owners in Lansing’s REO Town neighborhood gathered for a celebration on Saturday in honor of their community and Rosie the Riveter Day.
Eleanor Richards, co-owner of Wayfaring Booksellers, said the Rosie the Riveter event is “a great way to celebrate the women-owned businesses in REO Town.”
Along South Washington Avenue is REO Town, a neighborhood that is home to several women-owned businesses. For the second year in a row, these women hosted a celebration of their community just before Rosie the Riveter Day, which is on March 21.
“There are so many wonderful and creative women-owned businesses here in REO Town. I really just wanted to be able to celebrate everybody together. It’s Women’s History Month, that’s the perfect time,” said Jenn Carpenter, owner of the Deadtime Stories Bookstore and Screamatorium Gift Shop.
Carpenter helped organize the event and said the group chose to do near Rosie the Riveter Day because of Rose Will Monroe, a woman who helped build B-24 bombers for the World War II effort at a factory in Michigan.
Monroe is one of many sources of inspiration for the Rosie the Riveter, a character that has become a feminist icon.
“We thought it would be fun to kind of tie that in and get everyone involved that way,” Carpenter said.
During Saturday’s event each store offered giveaways and discounts for their shoppers.
“It really feels like we’re a hub of community for women, and we all kind of come together and support each other as much as we can,” Richards said.
“Woman-owned businesses face their own struggles in a lot of ways, and we all understand each other, support each other and cheer each other on. It’s really wonderful,” Carpenter said.
