A Saturday tradition in Fort Pierce is getting an upgrade soon as vendors begin moving into a new indoor market right in the heart of downtown.
"We'll have a soft opening a few days before, and then we'll have the grand opening on Saturday, Nov. 15. Saturday’s our big market day in downtown Fort Pierce anyway, so having the indoor market will be exciting. And then the real grand opening, I suppose, is the first Saturday in December. So we'll be soft-opening for two weeks, and then we’ll have Santa Claus coming for the kids—pictures with Santa, families, and so on. Kind of a winter wonderland thing inside," she said.
That was Trina Gibson, who is helping operate the market located at 111 Orange Ave. She said she believes this will be a major boost for the area.
"The vendors really, really enjoy being here. They've been here twenty-something years—great success with the work that Maiden Street has done. So our vendors are looking for something that gives them year-round opportunities to sell, to expand on their crafts, to have somewhere to share their work. Dovetail that in with a growing community and a growing population of people who just really enjoy being out and about on the weekends or during the week. We think that an indoor market is something that will attract people to the downtown area," she said.
The new market will centralize locally made products year-round.
"People love to browse. People love to see unique things, not mass-produced work. I think that’s what a market does—it’s a gathering place. So we’re kind of saying it’s the heart at the center of the community—that’s what we’re hoping to establish, and it’ll be here for generations," she said.
Trina said the market will be housed in a building historic to the area and will retain much of its original structure.
"The building owner, Stephen Tarr, he’s a great RV person. He and his wife love to travel the country and love the concept of markets and indoor market spaces. So he’s been thinking about this for a while. We’ve all had different experiences in life, and the meeting of this partnership or relationship has just been great. The building space is wonderful—it’s an old bank—so he’s been able to keep the integrity of the old building," she said.
As of now, more than 100 vendors are expected to open shop at the grand opening, but the market is ready for even more.
"There’s room for expansion. We’re not rushing it because we know there’ll be an opportunity for people to come in and join us as we grow. People will see it and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I’d love to be part of that.’ And so we still have plenty of space. It’s not imperative for us to be full on the first day," she said.
There will be a wide array of vendors to choose from, offering something for everyone.
"We’ve kind of divided it into sections. We’ve got lifestyle and dining, then home décor and art. Then we have health and glam—jewelry, accessories, and things like that," she said.
What excites Trina the most? The people.
"So for me, what’s really the most exciting here is not only that I think we can impact the community, provide work, and also create a go-to community meeting place, but on a personal level, what I love most is the energy—being surrounded by so many creative, artistic people—and the energy that comes from working with all of these individual vendors. It’s wonderful to be around so much local talent," she said.