The Sussex Place Indoor Market has opened its doors once again after being forced to close after 170 years of service.
“I think it's great,” said vendor Bernadette Phillips. “I'm hoping that it will expand and grow. I hope there's all kinds of vendors that come and take part, and hope Sussex supports it too because it's exciting.”
The market occupies the same space as the co-op grocery store that closed in July, which at the time was the oldest in the country.
The town has been hit hard with the closure of the Potash mine earlier this year, forcing thousands out of work and hundreds to leave the town chasing jobs.
“Everyone else in town was talking about not much going on, no jobs, that type of thing, so we kind of put a plan together and this is where we've gotten so far,” said market operator Ron Cairns.
Cairns says he has a dozen vendors confirmed and another two dozen are close to signing on.
Archie Dorie was the head baker at the co-op, now he's opening his own bakery stand and operating out of the same kitchen.
“It's going to be a quaint little bakery,” said Dorie. “It's going to be successful. The people are going to want to come back and still buy Archie's donuts and my buns and my sticky buns.”
The market is anticipated to create 45 full and part time jobs.
The official grand opening will be held June 24. Cairns would like to see 65 vendors confirmed by then.
He says there's room to squeeze in 100 if there's enough interest.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jonathan MacInnis.
