Pop-up market coming downtown
Some businesses naturally have less access to customers. They may not have a storefront, they may be home-based, they might have part-time proprietors, or sell that which doesn’t lend well to everyday commercial vending.
It is for those businesses that Downtown Prince George has made a space. Six times this summer, the outdoor gates of downtown will open to the vendors outside the Farmers’ Market mandate and apart from bricks and mortar locations. They now get to congregate at Second Avenue and Quebec Street twice a month during the summer.
“This is a new kind of market, it’s different, it’s our way to give a boost to some important businesses who don’t necessarily gather crowds of people, but we can get them together and make an event out of it downtown,” said Colleen Van Mook, Downtown Prince George’s executive director.
The Downtown Pop-Up Market will run today, then again July 21, Aug. 11 and 25, and Sept. 8 and 22 always between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and free for the public to attend.
The location is the block-wide parking lot next to the new Prince George Farmers’ Market and Community Arts Council headquarters.
“This is a great collection of businesses. Some of them sell antiques, some sell home-based marketing products, some have a more mainstream commercial inventory, but they are well suited to the public market format,” said Van Mook.
“Some of their products might be handmade or they might be sourced products, factory products. This kind of market doesn’t place that kind of restriction on the vendor.”
There are currently 35 vendors signed up to take part in the Downtown Pop-Up Market, and there is room to grow and include many more.
“We are already hearing great feedback from the businesses around the downtown, the stores and boutiques, because this is a way for a lot more people to come downtown on a Saturday and activate that business area.”
It’s an opportunity, as well, to provide a good neighbour effect for the Prince George Farmers’ Market. The Downtown Pop-Up Market offers complementary shopping to the agri-food and artisan shopping at the market’s next door location.
The Farmers’ Market operates every Saturday at 3rd Ave. and Quebec Street from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“We are expanding the product offerings, supporting local entrepreneurs and giving our residents and visitors a fabulous public market experience right in our very own downtown,” Van Mook said.
If you are a vendor looking to sell or share your products, please contact Downtown Prince George (250-6141330) to be included in the remaining Downtown Pop-Up Market events.
If you make, bake or grow your products please contact the Prince George Farmers’ Market to book your booth space.
Emails can be directed to info@farmersmarketpg.ca.