9/30/2015
13 WREX

Rockford City Market is ready to wrap up the season with record breaking attendance. More than 100,000 visitors are expected to pass through the gates by the end of the day Friday, October 2. It meant more than just success for the market. It also helped at least one business launch this year. Jodi May says she never intended to start a business at Rockford City Market. "Sugar Britches came about kind of backwards really," May says. The old-fashioned candy maker wanted to open a store front in Rockton then maybe branch out to events. But when May couldn't find a place to lease she decided to come to city market, where 13 News met her earlier this year. She demonstrated how to wrap caramels. May found so much success at the market she was able to sign a lease for a candy shop that she plans to open in December. "There's a great buzz around city market so I thought selling my candy there would be an excellent opportunity to get the word out to a huge amount of people," May says. May picked a great year to start at the market. With no rain-outs and warm weather through the fall, city market has brought in huge crowds. "It's been a whirlwind, we've had so many people. So many new vendors and new patrons, it's been great. We are up almost 30 percent in our visitors," says Cathy McDermott, manager of Rockford City Market. While things are looking good at the market next door there are a few issues with the future Indoor City Market. The state's budget impasse is holding up some of the money that will be used to rehab the building. But work has not stopped. "Hopefully in 30 to 60 days we are going to be able to announce an anchor tenant and some other financing that we have been working on and it's a lot going on behind the scenes," McDermott says. But McDermott says plans are still on track to go from an outdoor city market right into an indoor market in 2016. But they just need to finish this year's city market first. 13 News will be live at the last city market this Friday. Organizers will give a prize to the 100,000th visitor.


For More Information:
http://www.wrex.com/story/30156899/2015/09/30/rockford-city-market-ready-to-wrap-up-record-breaking-year