Market open Saturday

Development group hosting variety of vendors

Anyone who enjoyed the outdoor market in June might want to get some shopping bags ready.

The #bayitforward group, which focuses on the revitalization of Glace Bay, is hosting an outdoor market Saturday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., on Brodie Avenue behind Talo Café Bar.

Mike Kelloway, chair of #bayitforward, said this will be the group’s third market and the second one in an outdoor setting. The first was held at the Savoy Theatre in February and the first outdoor one on Brodie Avenue in June.

“(The market is) about people meeting friends, people making new friends and people getting to see a business that they didn’t know was in Glace Bay. It’s about spreading awareness, selling product, selling service and keeping dollars in the local economy.”

Kelloway said there will be a mix of vendors at the market offering everything from food to the traditional small business product.

As of Wednesday there were more than 10 vendors booked with room for more.

Part of #bayitforward’s mandate is to try new things and do things to spur economic activity.

Kelloway said the public will determine if the markets will become a permanent event.

“One of the things #bayitforward has to do is to determine how to create these kinds of markets in more abundance to get a little innovation around downtown shopping,” he said.

“I think it’s about getting creative with our business partners and the local community. This is all about being more innovative, more collaborative for the businesses in the downtown core but also for the businesses outside the downtown core.”

Kelloway said at the moment the group is working on an initiative with businesses in Glace Bay that involves forming an alliance with another coastal community in Nova Scotia. “Good things are happening.” Anyone wishing to book a table for the outdoor market Saturday can telephone Dave MacKeigan at 902-574-1856 or Pam Leader at the Savoy Theatre at 902-842-1599.