Mosaic Iowa City
Local Fair Trade Marketplace Expands Mission & Location to Support Global & Domestic Artisans
(Iowa City, IA) July 31, 2025 – Downtown Iowa City’s Ten Thousand Villages will rebrand as Mosaic Iowa City, marking a strategic evolution in the organization’s mission to support ethical commerce and fair trade practices. The Executive Director, Liz Preciado, announced the transition this summer, which represents an expansion of the business’s commitment to supporting marginalized artisans both internationally and domestically. Mosaic Iowa City will open August 1st at its new location at 109 S Dubuque Street.
After nine years of operation as a Ten Thousand Villages branded store, the local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is transitioning to an independent retailer to better serve its community and expand its reach to more artisan groups worldwide. The decision allows Mosaic Iowa City to move beyond constraints and partner with a broader range of fair trade vendors and underserved communities.
“We wanted to be able to serve more artisan groups than just the artisans that worked with Ten Thousand Villages,” said Preciado, Executive Director of Mosaic Iowa City. “This change allows us the opportunity to reach more people and groups, have an independent website so customers can shop from us directly, and it allows us to serve refugees, immigrants, and artisans from marginalized communities in our country.”
The organization will maintain its nonprofit status with a local board of directors while expanding its mission to provide marketplace access for artisans in under-resourced areas worldwide. Last year, the organization directly impacted 156 artisans through Ten Thousand Villages partnerships, and under the new Mosaic Iowa City brand, the organization plans to work with artisans in over 24 countries. Fair trade represents a dedication to paying people fair wages, ensuring safe working conditions, and using environmentally sustainable practices.
The name “Mosaic” honors the organization’s heritage while symbolizing its expanded vision. Assistant Director Deb Manning suggested the name as a tribute to Ten Thousand Villages’ former fair trade blog, with the mosaic concept representing how individual artisans and companies worldwide combine to create the fair trade movement.
Mosaic Iowa City will continue carrying customers’ favorite products and gifts from Ten Thousand Villages while significantly expanding its merchandise selection. The store plans to introduce sophisticated fair trade clothing lines for both women and men, year-round displays of handcrafted rugs from Pakistan, and expanded consumables including organic fair-trade spices and specialty food products. The organization is actively developing partnerships with local immigrant communities, including planned collaborations with artisans from Sudan and Ukraine, and will work with established companies such as Mata Traders and Global Mamas.
The move to 109 S Dubuque Street provides expanded space for the enhanced mission, with the former Textiles location offering dressing rooms and additional display space for all product categories. The organization has received support from the Iowa City Downtown District through an assistant retail build-out grant specifically designed to help new retail tenants create dynamic store environments in downtown spaces. The grant program provides extra incentive and support for new leases signed in downtown for soft goods or other merchandise concepts that meet the ICDD Retail Strategy needs. The goal is to help preserve downtown retail spaces for commercial uses, making the funding particularly well-suited for Mosaic Iowa City’s fair trade retail concept and expanded merchandise offerings.
Preciado emphasized the importance of remaining downtown, citing the community’s global awareness and diverse population. “This is a community educated about the world and the challenges people face globally,” she said. “Fair trade fits so nicely into our community. I love it when visitors see things from their homeland and feel a little piece of home here in Iowa City. Our mission is to connect customers with the artisans who made their items. In these times, it’s especially important to shop your values, and buying fair trade is a powerful way to support ethical treatment of people and environmental safety.”
Mosaic Iowa City will hold a soft opening on August 1st, followed by a grand opening celebration in September. The store will maintain hours of Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sundays, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The organization plans to launch e-commerce capabilities and will continue its volunteer-based staffing model. Anyone interested in supporting their mission can pick up an application in store. Customers can follow updates through social media channels on Instagram and Facebook that will transition to Mosaic Iowa City.
