Spring Bazaar at MSA Annex and Mercado San Agustin / May 13, 2018 by Christopher Loa

Dust and Heritage at MSA Annex in Tucson, Arizona.

The Spring Bazaar is one of two events of its kind that happen each year at the Mercado San Agustin on the corner of Congress Street and Avenida Del Convento. This is always a fun event with several local vendors set up at the Mercado courtyard. This year they combined the Spring Bazaar with the grand opening of the MSA Annex into one event called the Block Party. The MSA Annex is a new extension of the Mercado, located just south on the same street. The MSA Annex concept is the first of its kind in Tucson. It consists of several shipping containers converted into 15 retail and restaurant spaces. some of the business in the Annex include, a bike shop, an outside bar, clothing boutiques, and home goods. I missed the grand opening celebration and events, but I still stopped in on the last day of the bazaar to check out the new space. Although it was still under construction and some business are still not open, I really liked the layout. I was very impressed with how each business made the best use of their spaces and put a lot of thought into creating a unique experience. There is a lot of variety in the shops and no two are alike. I am excited to see what else will open in the MSA Annex and I think this a great addition to central Tucson.

Palm + Pine

Fletcher and Co

Now or Never

Why I Love Where I Live

Avenue Boutique

MSA Annex

Presta Coffee Roasters, 1st Avenue location. Tucson, Arizona.

I have lived in Arizona for the past 16 years and lately, I have really been inspired by the people, places and events in Tucson. In any given week, I might attend a car show, hike in Saguaro National Park, drive to Mt. Lemmon, or simply get lunch and coffee with friends. This week I spent an afternoon at Presta Coffee Roasters with my friends David and Gloria to get coffee and talk about some creative ideas we want to work on. We like going there because the coffee and service is great. The people who work there are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable and make you feel like a regular even if you're not. The space is also very comfortable and casual, and it doesn't hurt that it makes a great backdrop for photos. Their attention to detail really shows in everything they do from where they source their coffee to how its roasted, prepared and served. The more networking I do in Tucson, the more inspired I am by the entrepreneurs, creatives and talented people who live here and are passionate about making it an even better place to call home.