BELPRE - Peddler's Junction, a vendor mall in the Washington Square shopping center, is expanding and adding more vendor spaces.
"We now have about 110 vendors and are currently expanding the facility by 16,000 square feet to bring in 80 to 90 more vendor spaces," said co-owner Tony Tanner. Tanner runs the business with his mother, Vicki Tanner.
The business opened in April 2011 in a former pool and spa store. Sales increased 60 percent, Tony Tanner said.
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JOLENE CRAIG Special to The Times
Peddler’s Junction vendor mall in Belpre’s Washington Square shopping center is undergoing an expansion after more than a year in the location. The family owned and operated business includes more than 100 vendors with merchandise from handmade jewelry to music and a small recording studio.
"The vendors are happy because their sales are growing and we are happy because we are getting more and more vendors wanting to come here," Vicki Tanner said. "We have just outgrown our capacity."
Unlike flea markets, the vendors at Peddler's Junction do not have to be on site to sell items as all purchases go through the main register and the Tanner family keeps track of all sales.
"We are more than a flea market," said Vicki Tanner. "We have a lot of items a flea market doesn't allow and a lot of specialty things that no one else really has."
The items for sale at the facility range from handmade jewelry and gold to antiques, used DVDs and music. The vendor mall has an on-site gold, silver and jewelry specialty and licensed appraiser as well as primitives and crafts.
"We've got all different kinds of stuff," Vicki Tanner said. "We also have some specialty things like a golf simulator and one vendor has put in a small recording studio and gives guitar lessons."
Musician Earl Tucker, along with selling recording studio time and teaching people how to play guitar, also performs at Peddler's Junction on the first and third Saturdays.
"I don't know of any flea market or vendor mall that can say they have a concert twice a month," said Tony Tanner.
Vicki Tanner said along with the expansion, they are in the process of getting together a booth in honor of veterans.
"All proceeds from that booth will go to veterans organizations in the area," she said.
As the expansion continues and changes occur at Peddler's Junction, both Tony and Vicki Tanner said they hope the community keeps supporting them.
"We really want people to know that we are not only here, but we offer a number of services and are growing quite rapidly," said Tony Tanner.
