UNIQUE WORLD (formerly Unique Markets)
November 28, 2025
21 Reviews
About this business
0 Skip to Content UNIQUE MARKETS LOS ANGELES WASHINGTON DC PORTLAND ABOUT US ABOUT EXHIBIT WITH US SPONSORSHIP CONTACT US PODCAST JOIN THE FAM Get Alerts & Invites! Open Menu Close Menu UNIQUE MARKETS LOS ANGELES WASHINGTON DC PORTLAND ABOUT US ABOUT EXHIBIT WITH US SPONSORSHIP CONTACT US PODCAST JOIN THE FAM Get Alerts & Invites! Open Menu Close Menu Folder: UNIQUE MARKETS Back LOS ANGELES WASHINGTON DC PORTLAND Folder: ABOUT US Back ABOUT EXHIBIT WITH US SPONSORSHIP CONTACT US PODCAST JOIN THE FAM Get Alerts & Invites! Elevated Creativity & Connection
since 2008 “There were farmers markets, and the odd pop-up shops by brands. But there was no concept, under one roof, that celebrated local makers and made it easy for shoppers and vendors.” - Forbes Part shopping event, part festival,
part small business incubator. OUR HISTORY Unique Markets
CELEBRATING CREATIVITY & COMMUNITY
Our focus has been to encourage creativity, small business and local economic development, and connection between people in-real-life. We created the first ‘pop-up market’ in the USA in 2008 to shine a spotlight on small businesses, designers & artists, while curating an elevated and interactive shopping experience for the community — showing the masses that activism and conscious consumerism can be fun!
Unique World, 501-C3
The most common thing entrepreneurs ask for is not capital but much-needed mentorship, coaching and business advice/help. Under our new non-profit organization, Unique World, we will provide grants for small business education, retreats, networking opportunities, and conferences.
Our mission is to help entrepreneurs grow, both scaling their businesses and through professional development. our founder
Hailed as one of the leading forces behind the ‘shop small’ movement, Eileen Fisher called her “1 of 30 Women Entrepreneurs Changing the World” and Forbes named her “The Millionaire Maker”. Based in LA, Sonja Rasula was a journalist, magazine editor and HGTV design personality before starting the business. Read more about Sonja here. P.S. WE HAVE A V-E-R-Y HELPFUL BIZ PODCAST
Press The Millionaire Maker
FORBES Go Big and Disrupt an Industry
Be a Marketer Podcast LA's Most Inspiring Women
Los Angeles Magazine Community & Mission Driven Create offline connection & build community IRL Spread the #shopsmall movement Help small businesses grow
& thrive “This is no regular market...” - Forbes ➊ Until we held our event in 2008, there hadn’t ever been a large-scale, ticketed pop-up market in the USA.
➋ We started in LA, quickly expanded into SF and NYC, and in 2018 spread across America with markets in 10 cities.
➌ With an extensive background in retail, tech and journalism, Sonja Rasula has always placed importance on storytelling, diversity in all areas of the business, leading with innovation not copying existing models, and gathering and connecting community. leading the way with innovation “Rasula has been a champion of indie businesses before it gained traction as a movement, which has earned her the nickname of “small biz fairy godmother.”
- Forbes Woman+AAPI-Owned and Operated Since 2008 ➊ From Day 1 the majority of our 28,000+ exhibitors have been and continue to be BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+
➋ Leading by example/representation matters: By being the only WOC and sole-owned national market in the country, we’ve inspired tens of thousands of people who haven’t been traditionally accepted in the business world to dive-into the world of entrepreneurship and ownership . Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Founder, Sonja Rasula The Impact of Shopping Small #1 Create Local Jobs #2 gain Personal Connections with Owners/Employees #3 find Unique, quality Products and Services#4 Build Stronger Communities#5 Support Your City & Neighborhood we remain the only Woc-OWNED multi-city market (have been since 2008). we’re here to inspire all to dream big and to innovate + disrupt the retail industry that has for so long excluded so many. unique world is a 501-C3 organization
BI-ANNUAL POP-UP MARKETS: LOS ANGELES PORTLAND WASHINGTON DC
EVERYTHING ELSE: ABOUT US BE AN EXHIBITOR PODCAST CONTACT US LET’S BE FRIENDS Igniting Creativity & Connection.
since 2008 “There were farmers markets, and the odd pop-up shops by brands. But there was no concept, under one roof, that celebrated local makers and made it easy for shoppers and vendors.” - Forbes Part shopping event, part festival,
part small business incubator. OUR HISTORY Unique Markets
CELEBRATING CREATIVITY & COMMUNITY
Our focus has been to encourage creativity, small business and local economic development, and connection between people in-real-life. We created the first ‘pop-up market’ in the USA in 2008 to shine a spotlight on small businesses, designers & artists, while curating an elevated and interactive shopping experience for the community — showing the masses that activism and conscious consumerism can be fun!
Unique World, 501-C3
The most common thing entrepreneurs ask for is not capital but much-needed mentorship, coaching and business advice/help. Under our new non-profit organization, Unique World, we will provide grants for small business education, retreats, networking opportunities, and conferences.
Our mission is to help entrepreneurs grow, both scaling their businesses and through professional development. our founder
Hailed as one of the leading forces behind the ‘shop small’ movement, Eileen Fisher called her “1 of 30 Women Entrepreneurs Changing the World” and Forbes named her “The Millionaire Maker”. Based in LA, Sonja Rasula was a journalist, magazine editor and HGTV design personality before starting the business. Read more about Sonja here. P.S. WE HAVE A V-E-R-Y HELPFUL BIZ PODCAST
Press The Millionaire Maker
FORBES Go Big and Disrupt an Industry
Be a Marketer Podcast LA's Most Inspiring Women
Los Angeles Magazine Community & Mission Driven Create offline connection & build community IRL Spread the #shopsmall movement Help small businesses grow
& thrive “This is no regular market...” - Forbes ➊ Until we held our event in 2008, there hadn’t ever been a large-scale, ticketed pop-up market in the USA.
➋ We started in LA, quickly expanded into SF and NYC, and in 2018 spread across America with markets in 10 cities.
➌ With an extensive background in retail, tech and journalism, Sonja Rasula has always placed importance on storytelling, diversity in all areas of the business, leading with innovation not copying existing models, and gathering and connecting community. leading the way with innovation “Rasula has been a champion of indie businesses before it gained traction as a movement, which has earned her the nickname of “small biz fairy godmother.”
- Forbes Woman+AAPI-Owned and Operated Since 2008 ➊ From Day 1 the majority of our 28,000+ exhibitors have been and continue to be BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+
➋ Leading by example/representation matters: By being the only WOC and sole-owned national market in the country, we’ve inspired tens of thousands of people who haven’t been traditionally accepted in the business world to dive-into the world of entrepreneurship and ownership . Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Founder, Sonja Rasula The Impact of Shopping Small #1 Create Local Jobs #2 gain Personal Connections with Owners/Employees #3 find Unique, quality Products and Services#4 Build Stronger Communities#5 Support Your City & Neighborhood we remain the only Woc-OWNED multi-city market (have been since 2008). we’re here to inspire all to dream big and to innovate + disrupt the retail industry that has for so long excluded so many. unique world is a 501-C3 organization
BI-ANNUAL POP-UP MARKETS: LOS ANGELES PORTLAND WASHINGTON DC
EVERYTHING ELSE: ABOUT US BE AN EXHIBITOR PODCAST CONTACT US LET’S BE FRIENDS Igniting Creativity & Connection.