MoonStone MPLS
MoonStone MPLS is a queer-owned, community-oriented, and curiosity-driven shop offering natural gems, magical gifts, and handmade creations by local artists. With roots in the Longfellow neighborhood and a deep commitment to curiosity, connection, and inclusivity, MoonStone is a welcoming space for neighbors to explore, learn, and feel at home. Owner Brenna Wernersbach moved MoonStone from Uptown to Longfellow in early 2025.
Involved with Redesign since 2024
Storefront Improvement Grant | Redesign Tenant
What does MoonStone do, and what makes it special?
MoonStone features a lot of small makers, queer artists and authors, local handmade products. We also provide community space for local artists to sell their work, for instructors to offer classes, and for people to connect with the planet, with themselves, and with each other.
At our core, we’re curiosity-driven. If you have an open mind and want to learn something new, or understand something about yourself, that’s what we’re here for.
What inspired you to start MoonStone?
I’ve always been a collector of natural and odd and eccentric curiosities. Picking up rocks as a kid turned into collecting agates, turned into going to crystal shops, turned into working at one.
I’ve also worked at a lot of different small businesses – coffee shops, book stores, gift shops – and I love how they become community hubs. After years of working for others, the opportunity came to open my own space. It feels good to be in the driver’s seat now; to make the decisions, to experiment and see what works. It feels good to be the authority in my own life.
What do you enjoy about being a small business owner?
As a small business owner, I have flexibility. I can adjust things when life happens, and that kind of autonomy feels really good.
It’s also deeply rewarding to create a space where people feel seen and affirmed. We don’t necessarily put a rainbow flag on the door, but inside you’ll find pronoun pins, queer-affirming products, and representation that makes people feel seen and feel welcome. I’ve been surprised and touched by how many parents come in and then share with me that they have trans kids. I’m recognizing that there are way more allies around me than I might clock. So that reciprocity of recognizing that there’s way more support than we notice, and with just a few little signals, we’re able to connect with each other and recognize that we have those things in common.
Why Longfellow?
I moved to the Longfellow neighborhood in 2013, and it immediately felt like home. Even though it’s in the city, it feels like a small town. You see the same people, you build relationships.
I had worked for Blue Moon Coffee Shop (and then Milkweed), and at Geek Love Cafe within Moon Palace Books. Bringing my own “Moon” to the neighborhood feels so good.
We originally opened in Uptown, but I quickly realized it wasn’t sustainable. I spent months looking for a new location, but as a small business, it was hard to get noticed by landlords. Connecting with Redesign changed that. Once we signed the lease in Longfellow, everything clicked. It feels like this is where we were meant to be.
How has the community responded?
The welcome has been so warm. From the moment we announced the move, other small businesses reached out to welcome us. Curious neighbors stopped in, foot traffic picked up, and we’ve been able to offer our customers more accessible amenities with parking, a ramp, two restrooms, and air conditioning. It’s just a much more usable space for most of our customers.
One day sign painter Phil [Vandervaart] came by and was like, “Do you need a sign painted?” And I was like … “You’re sign painter Phil … YES!” I’ve worked for these other local businesses that he’s painted for and I’m a big fan of his work. It felt like such a dream come true and an honor to have his work featured on my space.
I also love being connected to the Longfellow Business Association. Sitting in a room with people I’ve worked for, worked with, or patronized, and now realizing I’m their peer has been really special.
“It feels like this is where we were meant to be.”
You are renting this space from Redesign. What’s that been like for you so far?
Redesign has been really supportive. They helped with funding for painting and for our garden which really helped my startup budget. And they’ve been really responsive when issues came up in the space. I really appreciate that they’re looking at the structural causes and solutions instead of just putting on a Band-Aid.
Redesign also produced the Summer Savings Passport, a coupon book that incentivizes visiting businesses in the neighborhood. I’ve loved being part of that and being able to recommend other local businesses to my customers. We are all in this together and this coming together instead of competing really pushes against the scarcity mindset. There is no limit to the connections we can form.
"Redesign has been really supportive. They helped with funding for painting and for our garden which really helped my startup budget."
What’s next for MoonStone?
Our events model is really how we put our community orientation into practice, so a big focus for me right now is building predictability and consistency in that so our customers know what to expect and when. We are continuing to look for collaborations with organizations and individuals and, really, anyone who wants to use our community space to engage with their community around wellness, nature, science, crafting, queerness, small business … we’re pretty open to anything!
We’re also working on improving our web presence, so people can continue to be part of our community even from a distance.
And overall, we’re excited about setting down roots, growing traffic, and building the revenue to expand our team. We’re excited to see where it goes.
What is your vision for the future of MoonStone?
I hope that everyone who comes in can find something to connect with. Whether it’s plants, candles, tarot cards, or stones — they’re all tools, and they can be used to heal and connect. That’s what we want MoonStone to be: a place where everyone can feel comfortable, curious, and at home.
