Harvest Market Could Stop Antique, Crafts Sales

Antique dealers and unique crafts vendors could face the boot from Montrose Shopping Park Association unless the groups begin to work together.

Amid an and , the Sunday Harvest Market is considering a cut to the antique and crafts section called the Thieves Market.

Terre Ashmore, a Montrose Thieves Market vendor who runs Gold Leaf Antiques, talked about how the thieves market’s future is in question. She represented about 40 people during the Montrose Shopping Park Association meeting and addressed why she thought the antiques market was at risk of ending.

“The reason that we understand--to put it bluntly-–[that the Thieves Market] is on the chopping block, is that we understand you want a more boutique look,” Ashmore said.

“We’re all longtime residents and longtime customers,” Ashmore said. “We try not to compete. We’re aware of our surroundings and we try not to stock anything that will be competitive with you.”

In the past, Montrose merchants have complained that vendors took business away from Montrose Merchants, Ashmore said.

Ashmore and other vendors circulated a petition during the last two Sundays at the Harvest Market, reaching out to locals and produce vendors to say they wanted to stay.

“This is very vital to us,” Ashmore said. “In our economic times this is our business. It’s not a hobby, it’s not a side job, and we sincerely hope that you will use us. We clean the streets; we pick up the dog poop and the trash. We have spent the whole week refurbishing the material that goes out there. We are the green society.”

Wrapped items, labeled items, design motifs and general communication with the Montrose Shopping Park Association are ideas Ashmore had for the board.

“We would hope that you would see the good in this presentation and see that we want to work with you,” Ashmore said.

Theives Market vendors will meet on Tuesday with the Sunday Harvest Market committee. Utimately, the market committee will make the decision about whether to keep the vendors.

The decision comes down to the Sunday Harvest Market committee, a group of MSPA board members.

“I really appreciate you coming here and you did a lovely job,” Alyce Russell said. “I thought that you brought great points in your idea of having someone represent and talk with the harvest committee is a great idea.”