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Detroit's First Valentine's Day Pop-Up Market To Open Near Train Station

February 12, 2013, 11:33 PM

In case a heart shaped box of chocolates sounds dull this Valentine's Day, Detroit pop-up culture is offering you an alternative: VLNTNSDYMRKT.

The Valentine's Day Market (vowels optional) is a pop-up bazaar taking place from noon to 7 p.m. on February 14th at an old gas station on Michigan Ave and 17th St. in Corktown. Forty local vendors are expected to hawk their wares.

Detroit market staples like City Bird, Detroit Hustles Harder, and The Mac Shack will have booths, but organizer Lisa Waud also mentions vintage clothes, beignets, soap, kimchi and letterpress cards.

“We originally thought perfume and chocolates would do great at a Valentine's Day Market, but as we started talking about it, people wanted to sell other things,” says Waud. “People don’t just want to have the standard Valentines stuff, so it’s a bit of everything.”

Waud is putting up a heated tent to house the shops. Food vendors will set up inside.

Once the cupid’s day commodities clear out, the site will become a permanent home for Waud’s flower shop, called Pot & Box. Pot & Box was a semi-finalist in the 2011 Hatch competition and already has a location in Ann Arbor.

“People think I’m crazy, but I’ve always wanted to have a flower shop in an old gas station,” says Waud. “I love the contrast of the old grease and colorful flowers.”

The site needs renovations before Pot & Box can open at the end of this year. But Waud, along with Andy Didorosi, who owns the property and founded the Detroit Bus Company, were itching to see some retail before then.

Waud says:  “We’re really excited to be in there, but everything takes three times as long as you want it to. In the meantime, we want to use the space.”



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