A complete ban on second-hand merchandise has been lifted at Enderby’s Open Air Market.
City council has decided to allow existing vendors to sell second-hand goods at the market in the Maud Street parking lot, although the politicians approved a policy in January that restricted exhibitors to those selling food or handcrafted items.
“This policy would have left out people who have been participating in the market for years,” said Mayor Dee Wejr.
“We have to bow to what people want and they are making improvements there and they don’t want to leave people out who have been involved for years.”
As of Monday, the city will grandfather existing vendors who have been selling second-hand items. New vendors will not be permitted to sell used goods.
Coun, Earl Shipmaker insists there was a need for council to take action on the market, which takes place in a city-owned lot.
“It gets to be more like a yard sale if there are no controls,” he said.
Wejr also points out that there were concerns that the market had gone beyond its mandate of promoting agriculture and products produced locally.
“There had been comments that it was starting to look like a flea market,” she said.
Organizers of the Open Air Market urged council to change its policy prohibiting used merchandise.
“Our membership made a motion in 2010 not to accept new vendors that sold used items as we felt it was getting out of hand,” said Faye Wellington, market president, in a letter to the city.
“A grandfather clause was made for vendors that sold good quality used items with their plants, baking and crafts that attended the market regularly for the past year was acceptable.”
Wellington added that of the about 30 vendors who participate in the market, only six sell used items with their other merchandise.
“As for being a farmers market, we never laid claim to the name. It has always been Open Air Market or the market. The public tagged us with the name farmers market.”
