By Mya Maloley
Summertime in Michigan is filled with fun activities. From spending time by Lake Michigan to attending concerts at Van Andel Arena, there’s always plenty of activities to do when the thermometer reads a perfect 75 and sunny. But, what is there to do when the weather starts to cool down?
Fulton Street Market is a must-do fall activity, and one that happens weekly. “Fulton Street Market was established in 1922, connecting farmers, food creators, and artists to the community (of Grand Rapids) for over 100 years,” as stated on their website. Their main season spans from May 6 through Oct. 28. At their regular markets every Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can expect to find fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy and meat, snacks and desserts, hot and prepared food, and handmade arts and crafts.
Ron Wheaton, a Grand Valley State University graduate now holds the title of Marketing Manager at the Fulton Street Market. When Wheaton joined the team in 2021, the Fulton Street Market had been evolving and expanding into new markets as well. FSM will be hosting a Fall Rummage Sale on Sunday, Oct. 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“We’ve had rummage sales for over five years now, and they are always very popular events,” Wheaton said. “They started more as community garage sales, but have grown a lot. This is the first year we have invited vintage resellers to participate and they have been a great addition, providing a more curated collection of second hand clothing and other items.”
Ron was able to elaborate a little more about what to expect at the Fall Rummage Sale.
“Generally, there are lots of clothing, furniture, toys, knickknacks, kitchen appliances, dishes, electronics, etc. However, there are always really unique and funky things I’d never expect to see, as well. It’s kind of like going to a really big thrift store that pops up out of nowhere. You never know exactly what you’re going to find, which is a big part of the fun,” Wheaton stated.
Whether you are a seasoned second-hand shopaholic or new to the preloved clothing world, Wheaton stated that the ideal attendee is “anyone looking for a good deal on second hand items or to find unique, rare, vintage stuff! There seems to be a big interest in vintage clothing these days, so anyone looking for that kind of thing should come check it out. It’s also just a fun time to come hang out here with friends.”
Fulton Street Market is more than your average farmers market, its mission aims to positively impact the community of Grand Rapids as well. Wheaton explained why they host the Fall Rummage Sale.
“As a nonprofit, these events help us raise money to continue funding the organization and the programs we run. As an organization that is committed to seeing our community thrive, these events help maintain the local economy by providing opportunities for vendors to make some extra money and clear out their closets or basements, while giving an opportunity for customers to find deals on unique items and save money themselves. Buying second hand helps to reduce waste, which is also really important to us at the market in general. It’s also great any time we can get people to come out to this space and meet new people, hang out with friends and family, or bump into people you haven’t seen in a while.”
Fulton Street Market has multiple ways that they give back to the community, ways that extend deeper than being a space to sell vintage clothing and produce. Their website states, “Community Supported Marketplace (CSM) is a monthly giving campaign that helps fund our efforts to increase food security. As part of this mission, the Market administers four food assistance programs and runs the Market Gleaning Program. By joining CSM, you can help to ensure our work continues year-round.”
Another way to show your support is to volunteer at the market. The FSM support page mentioned that “You can keep the Market looking fresh by taking part in the Annual Spring Clean Up or by joining the bi-weekly Garden Club.” But, if you’re less of a green thumb and more of a people person, FSM stated to “Consider hanging out on the front desk on Saturdays where you’ll get to greet customers and help staff process transactions.”
Lastly, anyone that doesn’t mind heavy lifting, The FSM would greatly benefit from anyone who can help collect produce donations from farmers and distribute it to residents of the Heartside neighborhood.
Not only do their markets benefit the customers, but as Wheaton mentioned, it’s also a great space for locals to sell their items as well. But one may wonder: where do they find their vendors? Wheaton stated, “We typically don’t have trouble finding vendors, we put the application out on our social media and it fills up very quickly. A lot of the vendors at this upcoming event have participated before and gotten their friends involved.”
But for those who are wanting to get involved, Wheaton stated that “We always have a pretty long waiting list of people who want to get in. If you’re interested, email info@fultonstreetmarket.org to be added to our mailing list so you get the applications when they are released. We will be doing three more next year, in the spring, summer, and fall.”
With a plethora of vendors, offering such a wide variety of items, it makes for a perfect fall activity with friends or family. If you’re new to Fulton Street Market, or rummage sales in general, Wheaton was able to leave off with his best piece of advice for someone second hand shopping for the first time.
“I would say it’s great to come looking for a specific item – I needed a black shirt for a wedding and found the perfect one at our last sale – but you should also be open to finding something surprising you might not know you wanted. It’s great to come with an open mind and just look around. Bring a friend, come hungry – we always have great concessions available at these events. This time we’ll have coffee from Runyon House Roasts and Semifreddo will bring their amazing ice cream and sandwiches.”
The Fall Rummage sale will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 15 at the Fulton Street Market located at 1145 Fulton St. E, in Grand Rapids Bring a friend, make a day out of the event and feast on delicious food and warm beverages. And, if you can’t make it to this season’s rummage sale, check out the next one in the spring and remember that the farmers market is open every week on Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays.
