Farmers markets, night markets and public fairs and festivals are frequently ground zero for local artisans of all stripes who want to test their new foods, drinks, crafts and creations and build a following.
Success at a community market can be the first step in the growth of an emerging small business. But that first step can be a challenge due to the logistical hurdles and time commitment needed to operate at multiple events.
“Finding anywhere to get it out there in front of people is really expensive,” says Ryan Steinbarge.
Steinbarge and his wife, Krystal Steinbarge, are the operators behind one of the newest Vancouver Mall stores. And it’s a concept they hope provides a more structured approach to community markets to help newly minted vendors clear that initial hurdle.
Their creation is called America’s Market. And the idea is for the storefront to serve as a permanent, low-cost vendor space to tap into the mall’s heavy foot traffic while giving shoppers access to products that they wouldn’t normally find in a mall.
The storefront, located on the mall’s lower level near Cinetopia, is divided into a series of 9-by-7-foot spaces that vendors can rent on a daily, weekly, weekend or month-to-month basis and configure however they want.
The month-to-month spaces rent for $600, Ryan Steinbarge says, but not everyone can afford that at the start, so the Steinbarges have worked to make sure the store has a mix of short-term and long-term spaces.
The store space means the vendors don’t have to worry about security, electricity, or amenities like restrooms and fitting rooms. And while vendors are encouraged to make frequent appearances, they don’t have to staff their booths at all times. The Steinbarges and other store staff are always on hand operating a central cash register.
Steinbarge says he hopes the model will free up vendors to sell their products even if they have other jobs or commitments, and make it easier for customers to connect with small businesses for repeat visits and custom orders.
“If you find something (but the vendor isn’t there), you don’t have to hope they’re there the next weekend,” he says.
The vendor lineup isn’t limited to products. The store also includes space at the back where small-business owners can host classes on anything from an introduction to painting to a class about potting and raising succulent plants.
Food and drinks factor into the mix, too. The store includes kombucha on tap from Soma Kombucha, giving the Portland-based company its first foothold in Vancouver.
“This is kind of like a permanent taproom for them,” Ryan Steinbarge says.
There’s also public seating and a play area to keep kids entertained while parents browse through the vendor lineup. In the long run, the Steinbarges plan to feature live music on the weekends.
The Steinbarges have experience in the community market and small-business arenas, including sales experience at regional malls — Vancouver Mall, the Lloyd Center in Portland, Clackamas Town Center in Happy Valley, Ore., and the Washington Square Mall in Tigard, Ore.
In addition to selling their own products, such as a line of beard care products called Monkey Oil, they’ve also operated bigger commercial stands and stores. Most recently, they operated a seasonal calendar shop at Vancouver Mall, developing a relationship with the mall’s management, which Ryan Steinbarge says is part of why they decided to pursue the America’s Market concept in Vancouver.
Once the mall approved the idea, the Steinbarges began reaching out to other vendors they’d met at various markets over the years and invited them to help open the store.
Ryan Steinbarge says they considered a number of storefronts in the mall — even the former Sears space — but settled on a 5,000-square-foot store to make sure vendors didn’t get lost in the mix. In the end, they went with the same space they’d used for the calendar store, due to its proximity to the theater.
“We were already in this space beforehand so we kind of knew what needed to be done,” Steinbarge says.
Steinbarge says he drew on his architecture background to design the floor plan and interior, with a startup cost of about $12,000.
There were still a number of empty stalls when the store soft opened in April. But it’s been quickly gaining steam and there’s a growing waiting list for the few remaining stalls.
“Every week we’ve had an increase in sales and foot traffic,” Steinbarge says. “When we first opened we only had five vendors — two weeks later we had 20.”
Vendors need insurance to rent a space and they need to be approved by the mall — the management doesn’t want vendors who would directly compete with its other stores, Steinbarge says. So far, everyone has been accepted.
Now that the lineup is taking shape, the Steinbarges plan to hold an all-day grand opening event June 8 with kids crafts, live music, face painting and a raffle drawing for vendor products with the proceeds going to charity.
