Gibraltar Market: A haven of local goods and fresh produce in East London
Gibraltar Market is a staple of the East London community. It provides first-time entrepreneurs the opportunity to grow their business in a space that promotes local over global.
Brian Vaughan, the market’s owner, says one of the market’s greatest strengths is the opportunity it provides someone with a business idea to test it out in a low-risk environment. Nowadays, a small business in Canada has a start-up cost of $10,000, which can include:
Business registration and licensing fees
Office space
Inventory
Website
Insurance
Shipping costs
Marketing
At Gibraltar Market, vendors rent a booth space and bring their products for display—eliminating a large portion of the start-up costs associated with starting a business.
Depending on the season the market sees 5,000 to 8,000 people a weekend, says Vaughan. A number that is appealing to new business owners who may not have a large online following or consumer base.
New vendors are given the opportunity to build one-on-one relationships with customers in an environment that attracts people and where vendors do not need to market themselves.
Building a Community Environment
“Everyone gets to know everyone. It really becomes a community within a community. For consumers, this is part of why they return year after year,” says Vaughan.
Some Saturdays Vaughan sees the same customers interacting with vendors they have been visiting since the market opened in 1991.
The open layout is much like that of a farmers’ market, which allows customers to build a personal connection with the people they buy their goods from. The layout of the market allows visitors to walk through the colourful rows of vendors and interact with each store owner.
Farmers markets date back to Egypt, where farmers along the Nile came together to sell their fresh produce. It wasn’t until the 1600s that the concept migrated to the United States and later to Canada.
In 1991, farmers markets were not a concept that was popular concept in the London area. The lack of public markets prompted Vaughan to create the Gibraltar Market, which has existed in the same location since.
With roughly 50,000 square feet of indoor space, Gibraltar Market is one of the largest markets outside of Toronto.
Thirty Years of Growth
The market will celebrate 30 years in operation this April 2021. In today’s economic and social environment celebrating 30 years in business is a huge accomplishment that speaks to the quality of the market.
The products in the market range from fresh produce to electronics to clothing, offering customers a one-stop-shop for all of their retail needs. The vendors build relationships with their customers that allow them to move on price and provide service based on a customer’s needs.
COVID-19 and Public Markets
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the market has adjusted its visitor experience to ensure the safety of its visitors. All visitors are required to wear a mask within the market and practice social distancing. Markings have been added to the floor and sanitizer is offered at the entrance to make visitors experience as smooth as possible.
Gibraltar Market is open every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Gibraltar Market offers the community an opportunity to support local vendors while shopping safely. The variety of goods offered at the market and the personal experience of interacting with the owners of the products you purchase is unmatched in other commercial retail spaces.