Business Out Of The Box

Business out of the Box (BOTB) is a YWCA Hamilton inclusive economic development initiative that uses retired shipping containers to create affordable retail spaces for individuals to launch businesses in the community.

Funded by a Collective Impact grant from Ontario Trillium Foundation in September 2018, YWCA Hamilton was able to retrofit one shipping container as a business space to be piloted in the Hamilton community in Spring 2019.

BOTB is a space for aspiring entrepreneurs to set up a pop up shop Thursday to Sunday during the months of July and August, 2023. The box is located at Crown Point Community Church in the vibrant Ottawa Street North neighbourhood. Each vendor will have use of the box for the entirety of the 4 days, operating from 12:00pm to 6:00pm.

Vendor requirements and/or responsibilities:
• Vendors are solely responsible for set up and tear down of their product(s), signage and any other materials used for their pop up shop
• Vendors must leave the container clean, empty and ready for the next business
• Vendor must meet one of the following criteria: identify as a woman (cisgender or transgender) or non-binary