Vendors at Northside Creators Market look back at fond memories ahead of closure

Jim Middleton clearly remembers the opening day of the Northside Creators Market — March 6, 2021.

"Opening day was incredible," the board chair and one of the market's founders recalled. "We had people all lined up outside."

From there, he remembers the first Christmas market which brought 6,000 people through the doors, watching different vendors grow out of the market into their own spaces and seeing Grampa George, who has been selling pickles at the market since the start, recently celebrate his 85th birthday.

"I really do feel our market is a family," Middleton said.

But like many organizations, financial pressures started to take a toll on the non-profit. And just last week, Middleton, who is also an art vendor at the market, announced it would be closing its doors.

In August 2020, the Northside Creators Market opened a temporary location at Picaroons Roundhouse to fill the gap from the closure of the old Northside Market. 

Matt MacPherson, co-owner of MacPherson's Natural Bee Apiary in Tracy, said the Northside Creators Market at Picaroons was his the first full-time market for his business.

The MacPhersons sell lotions, lip balms, honey and other products to fund their 30 or so hives.

He said the market was instrumental in giving the business a chance to test its products on the market and connect with the community.

"There's obviously places that you can go and get products from some of the retail partners that we have, but when you come to those market environments, you get to meet the person that's behind the label or the jar that you're picking up," he said.

"There's still people to this day, you know, four years later, that will remember us from the Northside market."

In 2021, the market moved into a 4,500-square-foot space on Main Street to accommodate the quickly growing operation that opens every Saturday and Sunday.

Middleton said with the help of a grant, the group put $25,000 worth of upgrades into the building.

But running the market still came with a hefty cost. He said the landlord was great, even making arrangements so the rent would be less earlier in the year and more later in the year to accommodate for slow and busy times. But beginning in July, the monthly rent would be a little over $7,000.