SALT LAKE CITY – After a transition period to a new location, the Urban Flea Market is expanding its days, and soon its space.
From retro and vintage, to modern and handmade; the Urban Flea Market has acted as a melting pot for local sellers for the last eight years.
“There just wasn’t a cool flea market in Salt Lake City and we thought, ‘let’s do it! Let’s make that cool flea market,’” said market co-organizer Michael Sanders.
Sanders said the market started out as a labor of love, but has now turned into a Sunday hot-spot.
“That’s part of our success is that we are one of the few things that’s a regular thing that’s always on a Sunday,” Sanders said. “People love the market,” he added.
Hosting dozens of vendors and thousands of people each month requires a big effort and a lot of space.
When the lot the market was hosted on for 6 years went under construction, they were faced the task of finding a new place.
“There’s very few spaces that would accommodate this size market indoors that seems kind of cool and fun," Sanders said. "It’s not really a convention center kind of thing. We like sort of a quirky feel to the market."
Then they found the place.
“We just have found our home,” he added.'
The Gateway in Salt Lake City.
”We’re getting around 2,000 to 3,500 people coming through,” Sanders said.
Those crowds are only expected to grow come May. That’s when organizers will block off the street that runs through the mall, expanding to an indoor/outdoor experience and welcoming in an additional 50 vendors.
“It’s not only good for us and our vendors and the whole market thing, but it’s a great boost to the other retail spaces,” Sanders said.
“We kind of help drive the economy, and that’s part of our model to kind of be good citizens here in Salt Lake City, work with local business. You know, keeping it local,” he added.
The market has seen so much success at The Gateway that they’re now transitioning to a monthly schedule. To help you remember, Sander’s said just think, ‘second Sunday market.’
