New Saskatoon local market set to open next March

A new hub of community and local flavour is set to charm Saskatoon residents and visitors.

Gather Local Market will open its doors at the end of March after lengthy delays. It will be located inside the Farmers' Market Building in River Landing.

Ideas Inc. manages the market and promises a year-round indoor marketplace accompanied by a seasonal outdoor farmers market operating from May through September,

Dipesh Parmar, executive director of Ideas, said the inspiration for Gather Local Market came from successful markets in various cities across North America, including the Forks in Winnipeg,which is known for its vibrant mix of restaurants and shops. 

"We have a really cool facility here along our riverbank in Saskatoon. We don't necessarily need to reinvent the wheel here. We can take little nuggets of inspiration from the various markets around the world and bring them to Saskatoon," Parmar said. 

The project has taken many months to come together. Parmar said construction and supply chain challenges, design adjustments, and rising costs are to blame for the delay.

"All of that seems to be handled really well now and we're really committed to this facility being open here in March 2024," he said. 

Gather is described as a local market focused on the community that celebrates food, drinks, shops, and entertainment from across the province.

"This concept is really the first of its kind in Saskatchewan. It's an accessible and inclusive space for people to come together and support local," Parmar said. 

He said there will be eight restaurants offering different cuisines, six liquor producers, and a bar that will serve locally produced cocktails and mocktails. 

Some of the vendors that will be serving at the market include Lucky Bastard Distillery, SaskMade Marketplace, Pop Shawarma, Rebel Melt, The Prairie Grazer, Spring Creek Garden.

While many vendors are established businesses, the market will also introduce new restaurants like Rex bakery and a Filipino-inspired food establishment. Rebel Melt, which has been operating a food truck, will also have a permanent space at Gather Local Market.

He says it will be open from Tuesday to Sunday "when you want to be around people, you want to go eat local food, you want to go drink local beverages and shop local products. You can go to your community market." 

The market's opening is expected to have a positive impact on the River Landing community and the surrounding areas. It aims to create critical mass, drawing in both locals and tourists.