October 7, 2013
By Megan Gallagher | SanDiegoVille Contributor
As much as the push to buy local and organic products, and support local businesses is alive and well in San Diego, the truth is that it can be difficult to follow that mantra because you cannot always fulfill all of your needs in one place. After all, there is no “mall” for local products, and travelling from merchant to merchant can be time consuming. Unfortunately, it is simply more convenient to cover ground in a supermarket or a big-brand store. Local entrepreneur Brian Beevers is looking to change all of that. Beevers, who operates three farmers’ markets throughout San Diego, has just announced plans for Simply Local, a local merchant emporium offering locally made products.
The market, which is projected to open on November 18th, is a 1700 square foot space that will occupy the old San Diego Police Headquarters Building, and is part of the revamp of the bay front area, which will also include the addition of several other restaurants and shops, including Seasons 52, Aaron Chang Ocean Art Gallery, Lolo by the Sea and more.
Since finalizing the lease at the end of September, Beevers and his team have been working diligently to find local vendors to participate in the venture. Though they have already received several applications, they welcome businesses to apply to become a part of this unique collaborative.
“The best way to describe it is that, it is mandatory for the companies to be San Diego County local,” Beevers said. “And then a priority is given to those with locally made products. So a company could purchase fair trade products from Mexico, but repurpose and sell them as a San Diego company and still be a part of this.”
The current focus for Simply Local will be on arts and crafts and the products of local artisans. Though there will be vendors who sell things like dried pastas, jams and nut butters, the food component will not be the central feature of the market just yet. Beevers does have a farmers’ market that will sell hot food and other produce in the works for the location, most likely to kick off in late Spring 2014.
Simply Local will rent space to vendors based on square footage and expects to accommodate anywhere between twenty and fifty vendors, depending on the amount of space chosen vendors decide to rent. Prices will range from $300 per month for a small space to $1000 per month for a larger area.
“This is a golden opportunity for local vendors,” Beevers said. “Most of these local artisans would never be able to afford a storefront downtown like that. This gives them the opportunity to do so in a high traffic area.”
Noting that Seaport Village companies are taking a risk by allowing Simply Local to enter an area that is typically only rented out to larger, national companies, Beevers said he is excited for the opportunity to get local crafts in front of residents and tourists alike.
“Local food is very important to me and right under that is supporting local business,” he said. “If we can start creating local businesses and doing great business in San Diego, a lot more than we already have, then money will come right back into the local economy and we’ll see that rise right here in our own city.”
For more information on Simply Local or to apply as a vendor, check out their website at simplylocalsandiego.com/sneekpeek and follow them on their Facebook Page for the latest updates.
As much as the push to buy local and organic products, and support local businesses is alive and well in San Diego, the truth is that it can be difficult to follow that mantra because you cannot always fulfill all of your needs in one place. After all, there is no “mall” for local products, and travelling from merchant to merchant can be time consuming. Unfortunately, it is simply more convenient to cover ground in a supermarket or a big-brand store. Local entrepreneur Brian Beevers is looking to change all of that. Beevers, who operates three farmers’ markets throughout San Diego, has just announced plans for Simply Local, a local merchant emporium offering locally made products.
The market, which is projected to open on November 18th, is a 1700 square foot space that will occupy the old San Diego Police Headquarters Building, and is part of the revamp of the bay front area, which will also include the addition of several other restaurants and shops, including Seasons 52, Aaron Chang Ocean Art Gallery, Lolo by the Sea and more. Since finalizing the lease at the end of September, Beevers and his team have been working diligently to find local vendors to participate in the venture. Though they have already received several applications, they welcome businesses to apply to become a part of this unique collaborative.
“The best way to describe it is that, it is mandatory for the companies to be San Diego County local,” Beevers said. “And then a priority is given to those with locally made products. So a company could purchase fair trade products from Mexico, but repurpose and sell them as a San Diego company and still be a part of this.”
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| Historic photo of The Headquarters at Seaport Village |
Simply Local will rent space to vendors based on square footage and expects to accommodate anywhere between twenty and fifty vendors, depending on the amount of space chosen vendors decide to rent. Prices will range from $300 per month for a small space to $1000 per month for a larger area.
“This is a golden opportunity for local vendors,” Beevers said. “Most of these local artisans would never be able to afford a storefront downtown like that. This gives them the opportunity to do so in a high traffic area.”
Noting that Seaport Village companies are taking a risk by allowing Simply Local to enter an area that is typically only rented out to larger, national companies, Beevers said he is excited for the opportunity to get local crafts in front of residents and tourists alike.
“Local food is very important to me and right under that is supporting local business,” he said. “If we can start creating local businesses and doing great business in San Diego, a lot more than we already have, then money will come right back into the local economy and we’ll see that rise right here in our own city.”
For more information on Simply Local or to apply as a vendor, check out their website at simplylocalsandiego.com/sneekpeek and follow them on their Facebook Page for the latest updates.
