The Night Market Vancouver is marking its third anniversary in October by launching a pop-up shop called NMV Pop-Local, now open on the weekends.
Founder and organizer Jessica Chan said that the shop is a way for merchants to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there may be an option in the future to keep both the weekly pop-up shop and the traditional monthly night market, which typically attracts a crowd and involves food, drinks and live music.
NMV Pop-Local, at 111 W. Ninth St. in downtown Vancouver, is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. It’s also open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. the first Friday of every month.
It showcases a variety of locally made products, such as clothing, soaps, jewelry, artwork and baked goods. Unlike the market, merchants are not on site.
“It’s another home for local vendors to showcase their brand and bring products to market,” she said. “It’s a collective retail space.”
After opening Labor Day weekend, the NMV Pop-Local is having a slow start, but Chan is adding signage to attract customers, and more vendors are being added weekly.
In 2019, the Night Market Vancouver operated every month out of WareHouse ’23 on the waterfront. That building, the former Red Lion at the Quay hotel, is due to be demolished next year, so the Night Market Vancouver’s future home is uncertain, Chan said. She is seeking another venue.
“We want to reopen the night market when the party-like atmosphere comes and it’s permitted again,” she said.
Sharon Nauta, a recycled-glass artist who owns All Bottled Up, was able to showcase her sculptures at NMV Pop-Local. The market is helping Nauta and all the other small local entrepreneurs connect with customers during the difficult pandemic business atmosphere.
“Jessica (Chan) was our knight in shining armor for those of us in the artist community who can’t sell at markets and festivals,” Nauta said. “My sales have been very steady there.”
