Vendors pack up at River Market in Valley
Published 3:51 pm Tuesday, April 23, 2024
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UPDATE: Potential investors in River Market will be at the business on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET to talk with the current vendors, according to Shirley Kindrick Stembridge, the sister of owner Mike Kindrick.
She added that vendors could come on Saturday to talk with the investors and make a decision to remove their items from the market or choose to stay.
Stembridge unlocked the doors of River Market on Monday so many vendors came to pack up their booths. Stembridge said there are one or two “potential investors” in the business, but there was no indication if a sale or investment would happen.
Vendors at the River Market of Valley were asked to pack up their booths on Monday. The marketplace on Fob James Drive has been closed for the past two weeks, according to vendors who rent booths at the space. Monday was the first day vendors were able to get inside the store. It is unconfirmed if the business has closed down or sold.
Rita Davis, co-owner of C & R Antiques and vendor at River Market, was packing a truck of her goods on Monday. She said that she had not received her sales revenue from March.
“We didn’t get that money,” Davis said. “I haven’t gotten paid. I can’t speak for the other 90 vendors. I can speak for myself.”
She added that vendors pay the rent for the booth space a month in advance. Davis said the Market had not opened for much of the month of April, which she had already paid rent for.
On the business’s Facebook page, which has since been deactivated, the sister of owner Mike Kindrick, Shirley Kindrick Stembridge posted that she would be at the market from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday to open the doors so vendors could pick up their goods. Vendors came out and packed up their booths during the period. Stembridge does not seem to be involved in the ownership or running of the market, according to vendors, but was assisting on-site.
Prior to Monday, the power had been turned off, however, it is unknown if it was turned off by the owner or the power company. Valley Police Department was on-site during the move-out.
Valley PD Chief Mike Reynolds relayed information given by a VPD officer on the scene. No complaints or police reports have been filed with Valley PD as of 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Since the confusion of Monday, some vendors have posted that they were able to make appointments to pack up booths later in the week.
Kathy Snowden, the Valley City Clerk, said the city has “not taken any action against the business” in regards to foreclosure.
VTN was unable to reach the owner or management of the business. This story will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.