After months of staying low due to COVID-19 regulations, Vendorama California, a five-hour long monthly pop-up market in Downey, reappeared at St. Mark’s Episocal Church on Saturday, August 08.
By: Clarissa Arceo
Jessica Puppe started Vendorama California in October 2018 after being inspired by the SELA Art Fest in Los Angeles. Puppe was not only inspired by the Art Fest but by the demand for similar events to that involving new and small businesses in the LA area.
Puppe says Vendorama focuses on the idea of economically boosting the city through spending money locally and bringing the community together in an ‘inclusive, diverse, and community-oriented’ environment. Puppe runs the event on her own as well as taking on a full-time job and assisting her family’s candy shop.
“The vendors who participate not only become associates, but they’ve created a network in which they learn from and support each other,” Puppe says, “I always tell our participants that this is our event.” Vendorama consistently receives foot traffic from shoppers who live in the area as well as those who come from cities away recommended by friends and families of the vendors just to visit their favorite booths.
One of the most popular vendors at the booth, Ositos Chili Gummies, has been with the outdoor market since April 2018. Owner of the business, Jessica Godinez, receiving help from her husband, shares that she started just to make some extra cash after having a baby.
Godinez mentions that she and Puppe are friends and had talked about the idea of Vendorama before it even started. She says, “It’s always a blast being a vendor surrounded by other awesome vendors and music, we always sell out! If you haven’t already been, you need to check it out, it’s fun for the whole family!”
One of the newest vendors at Vendorama, The Potting Shed, has been around for only four months and attended their first pop-up market on August 08, after hearing about it from a fellow ‘plant vendor’.
Muriel Duvane, owner of the business, shares that she started plant vending as a developed passion for decorating her own home, “They are more than just props for my home but rather something special I want to share with the community! I cannot wait to be back at Vendorama California, I’ve found my forever community.”
Throughout the five-hour long event, music is played by a DJ, shoppers and vendors participate in mini-games hosted by the DJ, and jewelry, clothes, food, drinks, and all kinds of handmade treats are sold. The number of shoppers range from 300-600 (which is the number Puppe’s shop reached last Saturday).
There is free entry and free parking to the event, and vendor booths are sold for $60 per 10ft x 10ft space. Due to COVID-19 regulations, the pop-up shop has added a mandatory mask requirement, additional hand-washing stations and hand sanitizers throughout the meet, and a ‘no-touch’ approach to browsing the booths unless otherwise permitted by vendors.
Puppe concludes, “The best part of all of this is meeting so many people and being able to help our vendors grow, learn, and flourish. Vendorama California is an ever growing, beneficial outdoor marketplace for every community member- young or old, to discover and experience community enrichment and support our awesome small businesses.”
Vendorama California occurs every second Saturday of the month from 11am-4pm hosting over 40 small businesses throughout Southern California.
Visit @vendorama_ca on Instagram or vendoramacalifornia.com for more information.
