Vendors
at the West Side Bazaar are eagerly anticipating the move to their new location
next month.
The Bazaar, which is currently located 242 Grant Street,
will be moving to 240 West Ferry Street after some final renovations are
complete. The move to the new location is made possible by a $100,000 grant
given to the Bazaar by Westminster Economic Development Initiative (W.E.D.I.)
earlier this year.
With the grant, the West Side Bazaar hoped to build a
kitchen in their new location; a plan that is now in action.
Bonnie Smith, economic development director at W.E.D.I,
said, “There has been great progress made possible by the grant.”
Guysma Thik, a vendor at the Bazaar and a native of the
South Sudan, said, “They are fixing the floors and the walls. They started on
the kitchen this week.”
“I feel excited because now we are only 6 six vendors. At
the new location, we will have more than 20 vendors,” said Pou Ma, a vendor from
India. “Also, another good thing is over here we just have a small washroom,
and in the new location we will have a separate dressing room. Right now, when
people come in and they want to try on clothes, they have to use our washroom.”
In addition to the kitchen, the new location will house
larger spaces for vendors, an eatery and a seating area for customers. The
Bazaar plans to be moved into their new location in November of this year. By Sara O'Brien and James Wright
