Locally made goods, apparel and handcrafted items to spruce up the home are now much closer to La Center residents following the grand opening of Create Joy on Saturday, April 18, bringing a new space for community members to shop local without leaving town.
The event drew a strong crowd of residents, vendors and local officials, including Mayor Tom Strobehn, who spoke during the ceremony.
Owner Megan Maygra launched the business after a career shift, transforming a recently vacated retail space into a shop focused on locally made goods and supporting small businesses. The store features about 35 vendors, 20 of which are based in Southwest Washington and nearby Oregon.
Maygra, whose background is in nursing and professional development, said the idea came to her in December after she learned a former gift shop in the same location, Willow and Fern, would be closing. Maygra, who earned her MBA in 2024, had recently been laid off from her previous position and wanted to use her skills in a different setting.
“Part of it also is to help other small businesses grow,” Maygra said. “I was a professional development specialist for the organization I was laid off from, so I helped train nurse educators to educate the nurses, and so it's really (about bringing) some of those skills out to the community as far as business (and) administration side of things, just people helping people.”
She reimagined the space under a new name and concept, focused on both retail and mentorship for other entrepreneurs. The storefront had a soft opening earlier in March.
The transition from the former storefront has remained collaborative, with previous owner Jessica Willoughby now contributing her own products through Willow Hill Apparel. Willoughby said stepping away from running the previous shop came down to time and priorities.
“Taking on something like this is a huge commitment and (I) was just ready to spend more time with family,” Willoughby said.
Willoughby said businesses like Create Joy play an important role in keeping communities connected to local makers and their work.
“I think they're important to maintain in any community because every business starts as a small business,” she said. “It starts with someone having a dream or a talent or a hope, and I think a lot of people forget that. We need to get back to supporting local, supporting our community, and appreciating the time and effort that handcrafted items take to create.”
The store emphasizes locally made products, with vendors representing local communities including La Center, Woodland, Battle Ground, Ridgefield and Vancouver. Around half of the local vendors from Southwest Washington were featured in the previous storefront. Among the new featured vendors is Valerie Luiz of Lakeside Candle Studio, a La Center resident who sells candles, sprays and other scented products.
“I'm excited to continue to get a good customer base and a lot of the people that purchase my products, as I know them personally,” she said. “I like to expand, and it's a great opportunity.”
Luiz said the La Center storefront offers a new way to reach customers while staying rooted in the local community.
“It's a local community and bringing my goods to the local community, which is always exciting, and I personally love to shop local as well,” Luiz said.
Maygra said supporting entrepreneurs at different stages, including youth business owners, is part of her long-term vision for the store. EMC Handmade Jewelry, owned by a La Center High School Senior, will sell clay earrings in the storefront.
“Part of my business model is really to try and get youth entrepreneurs to build their business so when they graduate they have something that they can walk away with, that is already making money, it's been established,” Maygra said.
Beyond retail, Maygra hopes the shop becomes a gathering place that strengthens the local economy by keeping spending within the community.
“It's a place where the community can come together and showcase their work, purchase their neighbor's work, really support one another and recognize that we're not paying for another multi-million dollar yacht for a huge executive,” she said. “We're... paying... our neighbors' kids' piano lessons and their baseball practices or events."
The grand opening featured additional guest vendors, including The Confectionary Fairy, offering baked goods. Attendees browsed the shop’s selection of handmade goods while connecting with local creators.
Mayor Stobehn focused on Megan’s entrepreneurial spirit, which he said helped maintain a home for local artisans.
“When Megan learned that Will and Fern would be closing, she saw an opportunity to step in, determined to ensure that local artisans still had a place to call home,” he said. “She chose to carry that mission forward, creating a space where creativity, community, and connection can continue to thrive.”
Looking ahead, Maygra is already planning to expand, with a second downtown La Center location expected to open soon, allowing space for more vendors and increased visibility for the growing business.
Create Joy is located at 419 E Cedar Ave Ste A-217 in La Center and is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, and is closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct dates and hours for Create Joy.
