By Ethan Ready

Vendor's Marketplace

COVID-19 speeds up opening of PG’s newest marketplace

May 31, 2020 | 11:38 AM

PRINCE GEORGE – For the past few months, the stories of the economic impact on local businesses and workers have been endless.

Yet, somehow and someway, Peter Wise was able to launch Prince George’s latest indoor marketplace, located at 1533 2nd Avenue.

“With this whole COVID thing, we thought now was a really good time to launch this,” Wise explained of he and his partner’s decision. “The other farmer’s markets hadn’t been opening and what I had been hearing from vendors is that there were restrictions in some of those markets with respect to what you could sell.”

It’s that feedback that led to Wise wanting to open a year-round indoor farmers and vendors market in Prince George.

Admitting that COVID-19 actually sped up their business plan, Wise understood mandates to isolated wouldn’t last forever and residents were clambering for something to do.

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“As soon as people were allowed to get back to their normal lives, this will be waiting. This is something that people can get out and do, and it’s a lot of fun.”

Wise says the difference between The Market Place, as it’s called, and other seasonal markets in town is its refusal to pose rules against who can set up as a vendor.

“We don’t have any membership fees and we don’t have any rules with respect to having to grow it or make it. There’s a lot of small businesses out there that are vending products with companies that are looking for a venue to sell their products. We believe whether you make it, whether you grow it, and whether you’re representing it, you should have a venue to sell by.”

In a post-COVID world, Wise says they have space for upwards to 100 vendors just on their main floor. With spaced out vendors currently, Wise believes they’re likely hovering more at 60 vendors on a weekend.

Wise admits it was tough opening a business in the middle of an international pandemic.

“It was dealing with a lot of people’s anxiety. Everybody was keen to go, everybody was looking forward to the idea, but we had to basically let everybody know that we were conforming with COVID rules and we were able to accommodate social distancing.”

As for the vendors who have already shown up in the early-goings of the new marketplace, Wise says they’ve been excited.

“The people here are amazing,” says Pat Harris, who has driven down from Mackenzie that past two weekends just to set up and sell her baked goods and crafts. “Even the other vendors are extremely friendly. The people running the market are wonderful to deal with.”

Harris admits she usually does markets that are outdoors, saying its a relief to have an indoor market to sell at so weather doesn’t pose an impact.

“You know what, this has been a big release for me,” said Harris in response to being able to sell despite the current pandemic. “To get back into the baking and just being with people, I’m really enjoying it.”

For Dana Alwood of KittsKreations, the importance of the market is unquestionable.

“A lot of us depend on the market for subsidizing our income. Whether it’s to send your kids to a sporting event or a dance event, this is really important to the majority of the vendors.”

According to Alwood, the majority of markets she typically would set up at have been cancelled for the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Market Place is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sundays.