Former Eastland market vendors move to a south Charlotte location

• “El Mercadito,” a new open-air market, will operate on Saturdays and Sundays in the parking lot of 1720 Galleria Blvd., a south Charlotte office building off Monroe Road owned by Daniel Levine. It’s about 6.5 miles south of the old Eastland Mall site, where the vendors used to operate.

Details: Hours are 9am to 6pm.

• The first market this weekend is expected to be small since some vendors had prior commitments. But it should expand as weeks go on, says Héctor Vaca, Action NC organizer and Central Market board member.
• The vendors are allowed to use the Levine property for at least two years and should have the option to renew, Vaca tells Axios.

Context: About ten months ago, vendors were kicked out of the Eastland site because of the imminent redevelopment project. Sellers who relied on the east Charlotte market as a source of income joined to form the Central Market Association and spoke at city council meetings in protest.

Why it matters: The market at Eastland was a source of income for the hundreds of local vendors who sold apparel, toys, electronics, fresh produce and other goods every weekend.

• “These vendors were displaced,” Vaca recalls. “They provide so much for the community. These are vendors that provide products at a cheaper price than you would (pay) at a brick-and-mortar establishment.” Vaca adds that their fruit is fresher than produce sold in low-income neighborhoods’ grocery stores.

Flashback: During campaign season over the summer, council member Tariq Bokhari vowed to find a new spot within 60 days with the help of then-city council candidate Charlie Mulligan.

• Bokhair and Mulligan pulled together a one-off market at a temporary location in Uptown the following weekend. But Action NC took issue with Bokhari’s lack of communication with the vendors, and the event turned out to be poorly attended. In September, Action NC sent out a press release calling on Bokhari to fulfill his promise.

What’s next: The vendors are now seeking financial support from the city, possibly to cover table fees or to purchase their own permanent property in the future.

• At one point, Action NC suggested the city should let vendors use 20 acres at Eastland Mall that Tepper Sports and Entertainment was supposed to develop before pulling out of the project.

Go deeper: East Charlotte’s open-air market is shut down, leaving 200+ vendors with nowhere to go