The longtime market on Vermont Avenue has returned after a difficult year, but can its vendors find a way to survive?“People don’t just want a night market. They need it,” said Engardio. “A night market brings people together and make streets safer, and it gives small businesses a boost.”
When he initially ran into road blocks with San Francisco policymakers, Engardio enlisted Assemblymember Haney to help change the state laws that stood in the way of streamlining the permit process. “That actual permit from the organizer is so minuscule,” said Jared Jue, founder of MAMA’s Night Market. “We have over 50 vendors each time we do our event, and each one of those vendors has individual costs that go through the Health Department.”
During the news conference, community members expressed concerns about noise levels, parking and disruptions to nearby local businesses. Night markets in Southern California have faced similar struggles and in 2021, the popular Avenue 26 night market in Lincoln Heights