Krystal J.
Google
Cool concept but I think there needs to be improvements.
I got there right at opening and was able to get inside with no wait time. It was a little crowded when I got there but manageable. I appreciate the diversity in vendors and that the sellers sold good quality handmade items. I love to support small businesses.
But I give a rating of two stars for multiple reasons. I’ve been to the market three times total to form a clearer idea/opinion.
Their flyer promoted 150+ vendors yet when I got there, there was definitely way less than that. Even if I’m including food vendors there definitely wasn’t 150+ vendors, maybe barely 100. This specific visit was my first time and even the people I went with (who have been there multiple times) noted the market seemed much smaller than before.
Another reason was decorations. I was intrigued because this market promoted themed events, going all out in decorations. Yet when I went, only the entryway was decorated (albeit not as much as what they show in pictures) and the rest of the market wasn’t. There was a hangout room upstairs that had little to no decorations and seemed like it was just filler for their extra decor. I find out later that they actually finished decorating nicely some more either later that day or on another day and it’s just frustrating because I didn’t get to experience the market visuals fully. It didn’t seem fair that the decorations weren’t fully up and the market was already open. I felt they put in more focus after 4pm when the crowd comes which was disappointing.
But it’s best to come before 4pm if possible because afterwards it is just way too crowded. The lines are long (about a 2-3 hour wait) and you can’t even visit each booth properly (sometimes you can’t even visit them at all). It’s so difficult to move that sometimes you’re just standing in one spot like a traffic jam. I’m not willing to pay for a fast pass when Portland offers so many other public markets with similar vendors and food for free. I was chatting with a vendor who agreed that while the market was great for traffic to their booth, it was just way too crowded.
The location of this market was also a huge factor. I think the building was perfect for when the market first opened in their early years, but now that it’s become very popular, they need to find a bigger venue space, especially when they know how many people go each time. It’s just way too inaccessible and dangerous with this kind of crowd being cramped together. The parking was also a nightmare each time even when I got there early, many spaces are for other businesses/private or it’s just first come first serve. The market is also next to the train tracks so sometimes a train would go by using their train horn and it was just way too much.
I’m sure the market was amazing in its early years, there’s a reason it’s so well-known and popular now (especially with the power of social media), but the market needs to make changes with how they’re growing now. It has much more potential. But in the end, its overall scene is just another Portland market. I recommend just visiting a different market for the same thing but in an open space that offers more variety and better pricing.
TL;DR: Fun to visit/experience once. Market was underwhelming, pretty much the same thing just different theme each event. Safety concerns over crowd and small space.
