![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/L1054424-e1784595416318.jpg\")
Photo by Jeremy Savan<\/p>\nHundreds of Bronxites attended Build-A-Baddie; an immersive shopping experience focused on uplifting female entrepreneurs and bringing together women on July 11 and 12.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Olivia Glowacka previously founded the Jersey Creators Market, but after noticing it was dominated by primarily male owned brands, she created Build-A-Baddie.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After multiple successful events throughout New Jersey, Glowacka\u2019s friend Bella Almanzar convinced her to visit the Bronx, resulting in their most viral event so far.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very proud of being here, and that\u2019s why we just want to create a space where other people can feel that same way. Where they can feel empowered, where they can feel like they have other people that are just like them, that look just like them, that talk just like them.\u00a0 Because at the end of the day when you\u2019re from the Bronx, it\u2019s a different vibe,\u201d Almanzar said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After considering whether or not to come for a long time, Ashley Sampson bought her ticket last minute. \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful space and I\u2019m a local in the Bronx. Why not support a Bronx event?\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tianna Osbourne, owner of Bournestar, has vended at other Build-A-Baddie occasions, but was happy to support the first Bronx event.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course I have to come here because I\u2019m from the Bronx as well so I had to show out for my borough \u2026 I feel this is the last affordable borough left in New York City,\u201d Osbourne said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Photo by Jeremy Savan<\/p>\n
Other than the many kinds of vendors selling slushies, clothes, art prints, books, accessories, fresh food and baked goods, the event also included dance workshops and free headshots for attendees.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pier Valerio ended up even getting two stars tattooed on her bicep, after some convincing from her friends.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing a baddie means being a good person, protecting each other, and just raising up everybody so that you can all be confident baddies together,\u201d Valerio said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nicole, owner of next.sett<\/a>, has been tabling at various Build-A-Baddie events throughout the past year, and enjoys seeing repeat attendees.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s such a cute feeling because sometimes customers from a different event will show up with my items, like the Bratz dolls or the nails. It\u2019s just nice to see them walk by and see everything that they bought or their faces just light up,\u201d Nicole said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Caroline Gonzalez, owner of LemonBalm Handmade<\/a>, said this was her first time tabling at any sort of event, and she spent about two months preparing.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI want to make it feel unique and one of one because if you could find it anywhere else then why would you buy it from me? I want you to have the best experience finding something that\u2019s so unique,\u201d Gonzalez said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Glowacka described how one mother came up to her expressing gratitude for hosting the event in the Bronx, and the opportunity to show so many female entrepreneurs to her daughters.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI thought that was really powerful when her daughters were quite young and they were going around asking all the vendors a lot of questions and how they got started,\u201d Glowacka said.\u00a0<\/p>\n When tickets nearly sold out for the event in only 10 days, Glowacka decided to add another date. This also allowed her to spotlight more of the nearly 200 vendors who applied; about 35 were hosted each day.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe also did a lot of sponsor outreach to get the products because we wanted to build a VIP gifting suite because if you\u2019re an influencer, you go to a lot of events, you get free products all the time. But if you\u2019re an average girl like me, you don\u2019t really get that,\u201d Glowacka said.<\/p>\n One vendor, Shy, wasn\u2019t sure if her business (the Case File Club) which sells blind dates with a book would be welcome at Build-A-Baddie, but ended up having an amazing time.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI thought I would be overwhelmed, but it\u2019s been really easy. It\u2019s been really enjoyable. Everyone has been so great and I would love to do this 10 times over,\u201d Shy said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Maurice Burbridge is an intern at the Bronx Times. He can be reached at mburbridge@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter<\/a> and follow us on Twitter<\/a>, Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/L1054397.jpg\")
Photo by Jeremy Savan<\/p>\n