Pop into the Lawrenceville Pop-Up Market

LAWRENCEVILLE, Pa. — When Rona Chang saw the impact that covid-19 had on fellow small businesses, she literally took to the street.

Chang organized a pop-up market in September in Lawrenceville for vendors that relied upon in-person shopping as their primary income. Chang, who manages her business, Otto Finn, out of Radiant Hall Studios on Plummer Street, realized an outdoor market was feasible even with covid restrictions, according to our news partners at Trib Live.

“It just felt like asking your neighbors if we could use their sidewalk,” Chang said.

Lasting into late November, the market allowed vendors each week to sell crafted items in front of Radiant Hall and on neighboring streets.

“I was familiar with the maker scene and in touch with people and checking in with them,” Chang said. “It was very clear that some people were heavily impacted by the shutdown of their stores. Some people just didn’t have any income.”

The Lawrenceville pop-up shop series is back this summer. The event, which is being organized by Radiant Hall, started in May and looks a little different this year.

“It’s a little bit insane to me,” said Chang, who has lived in Lawrenceville since 2015.

This summer, the pop-ups are taking place in four locations between 41st and 44th streets: Attack Theatre on Butler Street, Radiant Hall Studios on Plummer, Ice House Studios on the corner of 43rd and Willow streets, and Bay 41 on 41st Street.

“It originally started out as an event that was meant to combat the effects that covid had on small, creative businesses,” Radiant Hall membership manager Nathan Bussard said. “Though we had a lot of government aid and other initiatives, we still had a lot of small businesses that were left in the dust. Rona started this as a way to really combat that — not only for herself but for other businesses we are connected to — and to create as much as opportunity as possible.”

Another market will take place this weekend, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

You can read more on TribLive.com

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