Opening weekend of the City Marketplace in Lynnwood ushered in a modest turnout, but some experienced vendors said the venue’s room to grow gives it the potential to attract larger crowds.
The soft opening of City Marketplace was May 1 and 2. The flea market is located at 17222 Highway 99 in Lynnwood next to the Value Village and Goodwill stores.
Booths were lined up and filled with colored glass, plates, tea sets, comic books, sunglasses, jewelry, hand creams, flavored popcorn, antique figurines, jewelry boxes and clothing. A barber has even set up shop.
Beginning May 8, market organizers will begin charging an entrance fee of $1 per person; ages 12 and under are free.
Steve Craft and Brian Travis offered samples of Killian Korn Gourmet Popcorn in flavors like huckleberry, caramel peanut and caramel apple and also sold it by the bag.
Craft, who has sold at the Bite of Seattle, A Taste of Edmonds and during Mom’s Weekend at Washington State University, said there is huge potential for City Marketplace.
“This is going to be big,” he said. “It’s inside, you can sell all year long and the rent is reasonable.”
Scott Reed sold jewelry, strung with gemstones and freshwater pearls, as well as a hand cream for extra-dry skin.
Reed has set up shop at Bite of Seattle and Bumbershoot and has tried fairs and shows but griped that the costs for those booths have risen. “All these vendors and fairs are jacking up costs,” he said.
Reed said City Marketplace will be a draw for vendors as the prices run up to $40 per day.
“This venue should really pick up,” he said. “It’s backed by stable people. The price is affordable. You can’t go wrong.”
Shopping hours at the year-round flea market will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Should there be a demand, organizers plan to expand the market hours to include Fridays.
Market manager Dean Duckett said 40 to 45 vendors were signed up for opening weekend with new and slightly used items.
Duckett is aiming for weekends with 120 vendors to ensure there’s a variety of goods and something for everybody.
“It’s just going to be fun to go to,” he said.
Market co-manager Kim Boltz said last weekend they signed on 20 more vendors and 10 more food vendors are waiting on finishing touches before they begin serving Caribbean food, corn dogs and snow cones.
“We’re excited,” Boltz said. “There are so many ways this can go.”
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