When Nipsey Hussle was gunned down in March 2019, he had a lot of unfinished business. He was working on various projects to benefit the community, including the Vector90 coworking space and the shopping center around his Marathon Clothing store, the center of his business dealings. He also wanted to open a second Marathon location and now, thanks to his brother Blacc Sam, that dream is about to become a reality.
In an interview with The Guardian, Sam revealed that Nipsey’s family had purchased commercial property in LA’s Melrose arts district and has begun remodeling it to house the second location. There is no current opening date; meanwhile, the family plans to keep the original Marathon location on the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson intact despite its closure as a tribute to Nipsey. The lot is still undergoing redevelopment into a community space offering free music lessons for kids.
In the wake of Nipsey’s death, the store was closed down to prepare for the construction on the lot, although it remains a popular destination for well-wishers to visit and remember the Victory Lap rapper’s legacy. It was also where he was shot to death as he met with a local to offer him fresh clothing after being released from prison. The store has remained busy online, where drops often sell out within minutes of availability.
Meanwhile, David Gross, Nipsey’s business partner, plans to reopen Vector90, which has remained closed throughout the pandemic, and continue to offer the same financial education courses that Nipsey believed were vital to building the community.