Unique fashions in season at Panara

Find out why this unique store has been in business in Marquette for 23 years!

Marquette, MI – Panara has always been one of my favorite stores in Marquette. They are now located where it all originally began 23 years ago at 125 Washington Street, conveniently nestled in our downtown district.  Discover why you can always find unique fashions in season at Panara.

Martha Parks, owner of Panara displays a couple of the unique fashions she carries in her store. (photo by Ron Caspi)

The interior of the Panara store in downtown Marquette is a colorful mix of clothing, arts, and fragrances from around the world. (photo by Ron Caspi)

Featuring affordable high end women’s fashions, owner Martha Parks explains that while her target market is primarily women in their 40’s and older, the store appeals to women of all ages and backgrounds. She is the third owner of Panara, stating that this was one of her favorite stores, as well. After years of working in administration, she explains that she was getting tired of the rat race.

“In 2011,” she explains “I was diagnosed with breast cancer and was eagerly awaiting the birth of my first grandchild. These life events really make you understand that life is too short to be nose to the grindstone every day. I decided to devote some time to really think about what I might do next. I took the summer off and at some point I learned that the store was for sale. Though at first it seemed an unlikely possibility, by the end of the summer I was ready, and I decided to take a chance. I decided to buy my favorite store.

An eclectic mix of fair trade fashions, jewelry, and art await you at the Panara store in downtown Marquette. (photo by Ron Caspi)

Panara carries unique, one-of-a-kind pieces of clothing, many of them handmade. The focus is on finding items that are Fair Trade, organic and/or made out of recycled materials.
Discounts are available to NMU staff and students, nurses, teachers, downtown Marquette employees and Food Co-Op members. Martha is currently the sole owner and employee of Panara, but she insists it’s because she’s doing what she loves. “It all went back to the lake, that summer” she said, after successfully beating breast cancer, she decided she needed to tap into her creative side, to have opportunities to interact with people and to make a difference.
She is staying true to the store’s original style but is excited about featuring Fair Trade merchandise that helps people across the world. Martha carries clothing from Uganda, India and Cambodia and other places. Some are growing the organic cotton, harvesting it, processing it, designing and sewing the pieces – literally taking it from seed to sewing machine. Buying these items helps women in those countries since the proceeds go back to programs that help women to go to school, learn a trade, and provide opportunities for them to be financially independent. This makes more options available to them to support their families and that preventing them from having to turn to prostitution. One favorite item is a T-shirt that features the signatures of women who have been rescued from human trafficking.

Jewelry on display at the Panara boutique in Marquette, MI. (photo by Ron Caspi)

Martha also helps local artists. She provides a venue for them to sell their jewelry items on consignment. She wants to make her store a point of interest for those visiting the Marquette area, as well as for area residents. She also features aromatherapy, essential oils, incense, and home décor items. This summer, she is hosting a variety of events in the store including poetry readings, live music nights, energy and spirit work, and workshops on how to use essential oils.
When you shop at Panara, “you’re not going to get an outfit that anyone else has,” says Martha. “I usually buy only one of each style of clothing, and they’re all distinctly different and many of them are handmade.” Remember this as you make the choice to visit Panara in downtown Marquette, and as always please support this and every other local business, as it is what keeps our wonderful community alive.

by Maggie J Shepeard

Maggie J. Shepeard lives, works and plays in Marquette, Michigan with her husband and four amazing children, ages 10-18. She’s been an avid writer since the moment she first picked up a writing utensil. Non-fiction novels are her specialty, but she can see a storyline in everything and everywhere that she looks. Often working under the pen name, “Kathryn Lee,” she’s had one book published and is under contract to complete two more before year’s end. She’s a full- time student at Northern Michigan University, in Marquette, with a Major in Multimedia Journalism and a Minor in Writing. She’s taken every English and Writing class that she can, but still learns something new with every new subject. Maggie enjoys traveling and camping with her family and looks at everything is life as an adventure. She’s a die-hard Green Bay Packer fan, and she can be found every Sunday (during the season) rooting for her team. Maggie is a “Yooper” all the way, and is originally from Powers, Michigan, although she’s also lived in both Cadillac and Escanaba, Michigan before finding her permanent home on the pristine shores of Lake Superior, right here in Marquette. To see more of Maggie’s work, or to reach her via email, please click the link below.

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