A new permanent north side market coming to Fredericton
The North Side Creators Market will soon open a permanent location, after it outgrew its space at the Picaroons Roundhouse.
The market will open in a 4,500-square-foot space on Main Street in March.
A group of vendors formed in August 2020 to open a temporary location at the Picaroons Roundhouse, after the North Side Market shocked vendors with its abrupt closure in April.
Artist Jim Middleton, who sold paintings at the former market and is now chairman of the North Side Creators Market board, said the operation quickly outgrew the brewery.
It had 70 vendor applicants and over two thousand followers on social media within its first week, he said.
"We're very pleased with the response we've had in Fredericton," Middleton told CBC's Information Morning Fredericton Thursday.
"It's exciting, it's hard to believe this all started with a conversation back in August."
Middleton said the group quickly decided a bigger permanent location was needed.
"While we were very grateful for the space we were given at Picaroons, it was a very temporary situation," he said.
The group of vendors has now signed a lease and the space is undergoing renovations.
Middleton said he's not prepared to share an address yet.
He said the expansive location will allow the market to bring in some large-scale food vendors.
Middleton said the new market will be open every Saturday and Sunday, and may offer additional events on weekdays.
Business incubator environment
He said the main focus for the not-for-profit market is to create a community hub for the city's north side that can help vendors grow beyond their stall.
"We thought it was important to create a business incubator environment instead of a pure profit environment, so we can actually put more into services for the vendors," said Middleton.
He said the idea is that vendors can garner feedback from market goers on products, to eventually grow into a stand-alone business.
"Like PJ's Wings and Things, Rocket Burger, Buttercream Dreams, those are all businesses that started at the North Side Market and are now permanent fixtures," said Middleton.
He said all funding to open the new location has come from the seven board members, and they are accepting donations.
