Vendors Can’t Sell Marketplace Customers, Merchants Find New Location Unpopular

Aside from a handful of passers-by, a few loyal customers and the visit from the Riverfront Park train every 30 minutes, no one can seem to find the MarketPlace’s 2-year-old location.

Vendors of fresh fruit, vegetables and crafts were forced from their four-year home, an old warehouse at Riverside and Division. The landlord, the Joint Center for Higher Education, wanted the site back.

Since the move, business dropped off at the MarketPlace. So have about half of the merchants.

There were 155 registered vendors in 1994. Now, there are only about 75.

Jay Rugg, who runs the Bodacious Buffalo food booth, traded 60 percent of his regular clientele from the warehouse site for whimsical one-time visits from drop-ins.

“We’re getting more tourists here. But getting our old customers back, that’s what we want,” said Rugg. “They come two or three times per month.”

Carolyn Runje wandered into the MarketPlace by accident earlier this week after dropping off her kids at a nearby art school.

She used to frequent the MarketPlace at the old location. She noticed the variety of food offered is slimmer now.

Another customer, Janice Eckhardt, misses the music and dancing festivities that have been dormant since the move to Riverfront park.

“It’s smaller; there’s not as many participants,” Eckhardt said. “There needs to be more entertainment and more food booths.”

Dawni Hurst used to come to the MarketPlace weekly, but Wednesday was her first trip this summer.

“It doesn’t have as many booths, there’s not nearly as much produce and it’s not as convenient,” Hurst said. “It seems like it’s going downhill.”

The paradox of being in a beautiful setting that no one can find leaves vendors torn.

Many agree they would give up the sunshine and fresh air for the dollars they are losing in the park.

“I love the surroundings, but that doesn’t make up for the loss of customers,” said Chrys Ostrander, leaning over a box of fresh onions.

Farmers and food venders aren’t faring as well as artisans at the MarketPlace.

Letetia Hammond has been selling the jewelry off her ankles to keep up with the demand at her Head to Toe stretchable bead jewelry stand.

She’s just glad the park has indoor plumbing.

“I’d like to see it succeed. It’s clean, it’s beautiful, it’s got bathrooms …” Hammond said.

Charlie Armstrong’s Silver Works jewelry booth has tripled in business since last season.

Ostrander figures joggers, people on lunch hours and transients aren’t looking for a crate of tomatoes as they pass through the MarketPlace.

“People strolling the park are more inclined to pick up a bracelet on impulse,” Ostrander said.

He’s not surprised by the decreasing number of farmers in the MarketPlace.

“If there’s only a trickle of customers and producers have to go home with 600 pounds of produce, they aren’t going to come back,” he said.

A late harvest caused by a cold spring has also complicated farmers’ lives.

Crouched by the yellow butterfly sculpture east of the Flour Mill, the MarketPlace misses most of the action in the park even on big weekends.

Ray Kenney has lived in Spokane most of his life and he didn’t know that part of the park existed before he started selling garlic bread there.

During Hoopfest weekend, the peddler for the Coeur d’Alene Fresh Bakery Co. watched potential customers walk by.

MarketPlace Director Jackie Rappe vows to live up to her slogan to be an “incubator for small businesses,” but even reserving 30 spaces for an hour of free parking hasn’t drawn the numbers vendors once enjoyed.

“We have less vendors and that means less revenues for advertising,” Rappe said. “I think people will start to find us with time, it usually takes three to five years to get back on your feet.”

This is still a testing year as vendors try to figure out if business in the park will resurge. If not, Rappe and company are already scouting other locations.

“We’re wrestling with where’s the best place for the MarketPlace to survive,” Rappe said. “Should we stay in the park or should we go someplace else?”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: MARKETPLACE HOURS The Spokane MarketPlace is open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.