ROANOKE, Va. – The historic Roanoke City Market has been a downtown staple for more than 140 years, making it the oldest continuously operating open-air market in Virginia. Today, it continues to help small businesses thrive, with vendors highlighting its affordability and community support.
From fresh veggies to handmade crafts, the Roanoke City Market offers a perfect mix of affordability and community engagement. What started in 1882 as a simple open-air market has grown into a central hub for Roanoke’s makers, growers, and dreamers.
Eric Dresser, a local artisan who has been setting up shop downtown for years, finds the pricing hard to beat. “The cost of being here is reasonable, it’s pretty low,” Dresser said. “You go to do consignment, but then there’s a percentage of my sale that goes to that consignment shop, so in terms of that, it’s probably the most reasonable area for us to sell our pieces.”
However, like any small business, there are still some added costs that come with the territory.
“In my case, the concrete and finishing materials like paint,” he explained. “But there are sort of hidden costs like transportation, driving back and forth from home to work, and setup fees like your business license and things like that.”
Despite these costs, many vendors believe that being in the heart of downtown Roanoke offers something you can’t put a price on: visibility and support.
Kathryn Lucas, the director of public relations with Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge, emphasized the market’s prime location. “Downtown is a place a lot of people go, both visitors and locals alike, so this is a really great valuable spot for vendors to be. They are in front of maybe more people than at a traditional farmers market.”
As warmer weather approaches, vendors are hopeful for a busy summer at the market.
“Yes, we are! Now that school’s over, hopefully people are out and about traveling, coming through Roanoke or stopping in Roanoke,” said Dresser.
Downtown Roanoke Incorporated states that the market is open every day, but Fridays and Saturdays are the best times to catch most vendors. Farmer’s Market | Explore | Downtown Roanoke