The market, aimed at helping small-business owners promote their homegrown and handmade products, held a few Sunday markets before the coronavirus pandemic caused shutdowns, and reopened in late September, according to a release from Granite Properties.
The market is open from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. every Sunday when the weather permits and includes one row of vendors along the waterside of the Boardwalk's pavilion. Vendors and staff are distanced at least 6 feet apart and are required to wear face masks, the release said. Vendors are currently limited to make sure that shopping remains distanced but expect to bring the capacity back up once it is safe.
Edith Torkiya brought her business, Sassy Bubbles, to the Boardwalk event for the first time Oct. 11. She has taken part in Red Tent Markets for years, she said, and in pre-COVID-19 times would attend multiple markets or fairs like it in a week.
Sassy Bubbles sells bath bombs and shower steamers that come in shapes that copy treats like truffles and bundt cakes as well as some with rubber ducks built into a cupcake shape. These designs are so recognizable that two women eating brunch at Granite Park on Sunday spotted her tent while eating and rushed over to see her, she said.
"Because of my unique designs and the way I've presented them, I do have a following," Torkiya said. "They saw that I was there, and they couldn't finish their meal fast enough."
The market is largely designed to draw in those already eating or walking around The Boardwalk, according to Laurel Materka, community manager at Granite Properties. This proved to work well during Sassy Bubble's time at the market, Torkiya said.
"It was fun for people having lunch [and] brunch there to wander over after their meal and walk around the vendor shops," she said. "It was just really nice to be there."
Red Tent Markets hosts markets around North Texas, including recent events in Carrollton, Dallas and weekly markets on Saturdays at The Shops at Willow Bend. More information on the market and its potential vendors at each event can be found here.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect corrected attributions for Granite Park's release.
