What happened
Each market attracts hundreds of visitors and features 20-25 vendor booths, offering artisan crafts, specialty foods and locally made goods, according to city documents.
The city previously approved several special event permits for the event. However, the conditional use permit would still allow the market to continue as an approved use throughout the year, according to city documents.
What they’re saying
Council member Buddy Hammann said he worried about the impact of the market on local brick-and-mortar shops.
“The businesses I’ve talked to further down into the Old Seabrook said when they have a Main Street event, it just kills their business,” Hammon said. “My concern would be these are traveling realtors ... they come in, they have no buy-in in Seabrook. It may benefit one or two, but it may hurt others.”
The Brunch Party Market does have a brick-and-mortar, and they are using the parking lot adjacent to it to supplement their existing business.
Russell Hatfield, owner of Seabrook Cheese Co., has a partnership with The Brunch Party Market to allow the market to set up in the shop’s parking lot. He spoke at the meeting in defense of the market, saying that he and other business owners he had talked to saw the market as a positive boost for their sales.
“I have not received any negative feedback from any brick-and-mortar stores,” Hatfield said. “... Our sales triple and quadruple the day of those markets.”
The details
The Brunch Party Market takes place on the last Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
