Gayle Vukson, center, works in her Ice Age Arts booth Saturday during The Public Market in Centennial Hall. Vukson,whose business is based in Wasilla, also sells at a market in the tourist town of Talkeetna in Southcentral. Many local businesses have booths at the market, which opens at 10 a.m. today and closes for the final time today at 5 p.m. Admission is $7. Check out the Alaska Seafood Co., Kodiak Coats, Rainbow Foods and more — and grab lunch, too, from booths run by local eateries.
John R. Moses
Gayle Vukson, center, works in her Ice Age Arts booth Saturday during The Public Market in Centennial Hall. Vukson,whose business is based in Wasilla, also sells at a market in the tourist town of Talkeetna in Southcentral. Many local businesses have booths at the market, which opens at 10 a.m. today and closes for the final time today at 5 p.m. Admission is $7. Check out the Alaska Seafood Co., Kodiak Coats, Rainbow Foods and more - and grab lunch, too, from booths run by local eateries.
Comments (12)
Add commentNever been to Public Market...
Can anyone tell me why there is an admission charge just to get in? If my hubby and I go, that's $14 less we can spend on gifts. I think the vendors actually pay for table space, right? So why would they want attendees to pony up for the admission instead of buying something from them? Just never had the math add up in my brain and would sure appreciate somebody explaining this if you know. Thx.
I bet that the fee is to
I bet that the fee is to lower the costs to the vendor so that the vendor does not have to pass on extra cost to the customers. The public market rents the space from the Centennial Hall and I know that isn't cheap (especially when you consider that they rent the entire hall). Many of the vendors are local artists or home-based business owners who cannot afford high rental costs, but still want to have the opportunity to display and sell their product. I wish I were still home in Juneau so I could enjoy the market. I really recommend you go at least once - you can find awesome, locally-made gifts and you get the joy of supporting fellow Alaskans.
Tipping Point
I will save my $ for First Friday. The admission of $7.00 is just too much. These fee are charged by the Coordinator - not the vendors or CBJ.
Thank you??
I just want to say thank you to the kind person who slammed his/her door into our blue Honda Fit and left a huge dent/scratch and no note. This happened somewhere Friday on the parking lot of the public market. We really appreciate the few hundred dollars damage you did during this holiday season. May karma bless you.
Public Market
I also think the fee charged for admittance was too high.
Public Market
I also think the fee charged for admittance was too high.
Spoox.............
I feel your pain. Last year in the same parking lot during the little Circus that was traveling through town, some lovely attendee actually totalled my car by slamming into the rear driver's quarter panel... of course no note was left by the driver who left the scene. Nothing !! I am a single mother driving a 1996 car and the damage was more than the value of the vehicle. It is disgusting to me that someone who likely had kids in attendance ( and probably in the car at the time of the incident) set such a horrible example as a member of the community by damaging property and failing to take responsibility for it. BTW... this was the second incident in a week involving irresponsible drivers in a Juneau parking lot resulting in damage to my car. A woman (seemingly under the influence) hit my car as she was entering a church parking lot where my car was parked (with my teenaged, sleeping nephew in it). She was dismissive and difficult when we addressed her of the issue. Unreal....... My nephew was not injured but stunned that the woman just put her car in park and went into the church, never looking at my car or even acknowledging that she had hit it.
I am sorry that your car was damaged. It is certainly a big risk to park in a public lot for a community event here in town.
$7 is too much
I haven't been to the Public Market in about five years, and I was planning on going this year. Then, I saw that the admission had increased to $7. Forget it! Some vendors at the Public Market probably missed gaining revenue from me, because the price of admission was too high.
There's a price point at which they could get the maximum number of attendees and also garner the most attendance revenue.....that price point is (at least two dollars) less than $7.
Free at the mall
Many of the local vendors will be spending the rest of the season bouncing between the two malls. Admission there is free. Parking is less combative there as well.
It's a good thing bigtall,
It's a good thing bigtall, our resident economist, is here to tell us the correct price point for entrance to the Public Market.
Why, I showed up there on Saturday afternoon and saw the $7.00 entrance fee and told myself, "darn! That's two dollars too much! I shall not be able to spend $185.00 on an obsidian knife or buy a case of nagoonberry jam for $150.00 this year."
There is no reason to charge
There is no reason to charge the public other then pure greed! Soon they'll find a way to charge us for going to the Gallery Walk!
Fees
But Peter Metcalf needs to buy a new boat!!!