First vendors selected for St. Pete Pier’s Marketplace

Many parts of the new pier are complete, including some waterfront walkways with new trees planted for shade.

The City of St. Petersburg has selected its initial round of vendors for the Pier Marketplace at the St. Pete Pier when it opens next spring.

The vendors will provide goods and services ranging from jewelry and art to artisan foods and caricatures.

The Marketplace will be close to the Pier’s entrance near Bayshore Drive. It is a solar panel covered promenade with 10 market-style tents and seven stalls. The Marketplace will initially be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. with extended hours of operation possible for special events.

These businesses will have short-term leases. Other vendors may rotate throughout the year.

“These vendors will offer an exciting variety of local goods and services to the visitors of the St. Pete Pier and help to showcase what makes St. Pete so special,” St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman said. “The Pier Marketplace will be as dynamic as the Pier District itself and reflect the entrepreneurial spirit of the Sunshine City.”

Construction on the new Pier is nearing completion. The main structure at the end of the Pier is nearly complete. Crews are working on Pier details including the Janet Echelman sculpture near Spa Beach, the coastal thicket walkway and landscaping throughout the Pier district. The tilted lawn, an expanse of grass that tilts upward to give visitors a sweeping view of the downtown skyline, is already complete.

The initial vendors selected for the Pier Marketplace include:

— Lily Rose Jewelry: locally handmade jewelry

— Craft-Tee: custom T-shirts while you wait

— Planks: Locally made signs featuring area landmarks

— The Merchant: a local collective of St. Pete inspired souvenirs and handcrafted items

— One Community: a collective of various vendors

— Hey Mon Sauces: authentic Caribbean specialty sauces

— Sunshine City Arts: art collective of various handmade items

— Flamed Copper: heat-treated copper jewelry and accessories

— Hats at the Pier: specialty hats

— Flaming Pearl: tie-dyed custom printed apparel and accessories

— Kashien Chanterell: custom clothing, shoes, jewelry, handbags from Ghana

— Land of Gaia: wood art/ fashion/home décor from around the world

— Goofy Faces: caricatures

— Ancient Herbal Care: organic, plant-based skincare products

— The Poppery: gourmet specialty popcorn

— McTavish’s Cookie Shack/Highland Shortbread: locally made cookies, Scottish shortbread and scone

— Cashew Brittle: locally made homemade cashew brittle