10/19/2014
WIFR

ROCKFORD (WIFR) -- Mother Nature couldn't stop the crowds from showing up in record numbers for Rockford City Market. Organizers say more than 75,000 people came over 19 Fridays in 2014, 2 fewer Fridays than last year because of rainstorms. The off season won’t mean a break for many of the market’s vendors. Cathy McDermott, the market manager, says 75,510 people attended in 2014, an average of 4,140 a week. In 2013, the market had 75,463 visitors, an average of 3,780 a week. Alex McIntyre is a one man bow tie making machine, carefully crafting each product to perfection. “A lot of nights you can find me hand sewing on this couch until my fingers are numb,” says Alex McIntyre, owner of The Vintage Beau. The business is less than a year old and McIntyre is fresh off his first run at the Rockford City Market. He was one of 85 vendors in 2014. “Meeting new people, the sense of community, it was a wonderful feeling," says McIntyre. He says the exposure from the market was invaluable for his fledgling business. During this off season, he'll still be creating new products made from vintage and custom printed fabrics. His creations are being sold at Culture Shock on North Main and Stella and Notte on North Main. He won a spot for 10 weeks at the 2015 City Market. Even though the market is over, there will still be activity on Water Street. Heavy equipment is already in place so construction crews can start tearing down the parking deck on Monday. The deck has been the home of the market for the last 5 years but city engineers say it is structurally unsound; a piece fell on a car back in August. The parking deck will be turned into a flat surface parking lot. “They’ve had the plans ready to go for the new deck and I think that it will work out nicely,” says market vendor Mike Kelly. Kelly is a 3 year veteran of the market, selling his cheesecakes with Kokobear bakery. His off season will be spent baking custom ordered items including cheesecakes and scones. Kelly also can't wait to see the debut of the indoor market which organizers want to have opened by fall 2015 or spring 2016. The details are still being worked out with the city and paperwork still needs to be approved in Springfield to secure the grant for project.


For More Information:
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/Rockford-City-Market-Breaks-Attendance-Record-in-2014-279693812.html