Outdoor Market attracts artists and artisans
By Katherine Weadley
Redstone Review
LYONS – Outdoors in Lyons means more than trails and bikes this summer, it also means commerce. Artisans, farmers and other creative entrepreneurs are gathering together at the new Lyons Outdoor Market to sell their wares. This outdoor space is at 446 Main St. between St. Vrain Pharmacy and Cilantro Mary’s restaurant. Currently, a train car, which used to be a goldsmith shop, is occupying the space.
This idea belongs to Susan McCausland and Matt DePofi. Their goal is to capture the visiting tourists and local activity seekers from May 16th through mid- October.
“We thought of the idea for the Lyons Outdoor Market on a road trip in November of 2008.
Nothing like a long car ride to fuel some creative fires (or not) but luckily this was an eventful trip. We were discussing an artist whose work we purchased at an outdoor artist and farmers’ market when we were visiting San Diego several years prior that now graced the bathroom walls.
That was when the thought occurred why not a similar venture in Lyons,” said McCausland.
The outdoor market booths will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday. As of now a variety of artists, farmers, musicians and food vendors has signed up to display and sell at the market.
However, there are some spaces available and they’d love to fill the space with jewelers, metal sculptors, potters, bread bakers and organic farmers. They are open to any ideas. “We spoke to several friends, artists and non-artists, who all agreed that they loved to browse markets of this nature and that it could be a perfect fit for Lyons with its beautiful natural surrounding, small town appeal and high density of artists,” said DePofi.
The train cars that now occupy the space will be removed and lot improvements will be made to clean the area up for the market. Booths are available in six-by-eight feet or ten-by-ten feet sizes. Vendors will be responsible for their own tents and materials associated with set-up. The smaller booths are available for $200 per month and the larger booths are available for $250 per month.
McCausland and DePofi have sold spaces by word of mouth but haven’t done any real advertising yet. “It will fill up quickly when we post advertisements and the weather warms towards the market season,” McCausland said.
Both DePofi and McCausland think Lyons Outdoor Market will be a success. “Tourists flow through the town of Lyons like a raging river and we thought it might be possible to slow that river down to a trickle with a lively outdoor market on Main and High Streets. We both have always had the propensity to stop and wander through a market in any town that we happened upon and more often than not some sort of item was purchased whether an apple or a painting. If we, the two most non-shoppers ever created, had this type of urge when an outdoor market came around the corner then why not everyone else?” asks McCausland.
Because not every entrepreneur wants to give up all their weekends Lyons Outdoor Market offers a “single Saturday” option.
Artists may exhibit for a single Saturday if unable to commit to every Saturday in a month. Single Saturday rates are $60 for the smaller and $75 for a larger booth. Additional holiday dates are on Memorial, Labor and Fourth of July weekends. The additional Sunday and Mondays on the holiday weekends are offered for free to the artists who sign up for the full market month that the holiday falls within, but artists can sign up to show for individual Saturdays or the extra holiday days that are available.
“Over two million people, out and in state, drive through Lyons on their way to Rocky Mountain National Park and other mountain parks above Lyons so it seems likely that a fair percentage will stop to browse through a market and hopefully visit other bordering businesses on Main and High Steets,” said McCausland.
More information on Lyons Outdoor Market is on their Web site at www.lyonsoutdoormarket.com where market information will be updated, applications and info packets can be downloaded, or email lyonsoutdoormarket@gmail.com. The phone number is 303-444-8078.
