Now Accepting Vendor Applications!
The Cow Bay Container Market is a new waterfront vendor market located on the Atlin Promenade in Prince Rupert aimed at showcasing regional small businesses and artisans to visitors.
In lieu of market stalls, refurbished shipping containers have been used, providing shelter and calling to Prince Rupert’s role as an economic driver in international trade. The marketplace will not only create a unique and colourful market area for cruise passengers to explore, but it will also provide a new opportunity for regional artisans, small business owners, and vendors to showcase their products to an international audience. The market has been developed initially to operate around the 2023 cruise schedule, but vendors may also have weekly operating hours to service other visitor demographics as well as Prince Rupert residents.
The market will open to the public on May 3rd, 2023. We are now accepting vendor applications for the 2023 season.
Available Retail Spaces
The Container Market has two 8’ x 20′ units available for local vendors. Each unit has a fully finished interior with ventilation, lighting, electrical outlets, and a fully customizable modular retail display system, including a point of sale counter and display shelves. All units have one large window across the entire front of the unit, an access door on one side, and large shipping container doors on the other side.
The Container Market also offers an Open Market Container, which has space for up to three vendors on foldable tables. This is a lower cost option for those businesses looking for a short-term rental.
Interested in applying to be a vendor?
To decide if applying is right for you, please review some of the key details below:
- Length of Licence:
- 20’ units are licensed on rotating two-week terms, with longer licenses available upon request.
- Table rentals in the Open Container are available to rent on a daily basis on cruise ship days.
- Hours of Operation Requirements: Vendors are required to be open at minimum during the hours of the scheduled cruise calls noted in the 2023 Cruise Schedule, which spans from May 3rd to October 10th, 2023. Vendors must open within 30 minutes of ship docking and remain open until 30 minutes prior to the ship’s departure. Optionally, vendors may operate additional hours between 8am and 8pm.
- Vendors are responsible for providing their own point of sale system and cash float. Vendors must be able to accept credit card payments and US cash (1-1 exchange rate with CAD cash is acceptable).
- Rental Cost:
- 20’ units are currently priced at $200 CAD + GST for a two-week term.
- Table rentals in the Open Container are priced at $30 CAD + GST daily.
- Vendors will also need to provide a $50 damage deposit, repayable at the end of the lease term.
- Sharing container units is permissible but both parties must be included on your application with appropriate photos.
- The Market does not provide parking for vendors, though vendors can drive into the adjacent lane to unload and load merchandise before opening and closing.
- Only payment in full and a completed rental agreement will secure your rental.
BUSINESS ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION
- The Market is open to retail businesses, artists, and local organizations.
- Selection criteria favours businesses that are local to Northwest BC, with few or no existing storefronts in other communities, and that offer a unique product from other offerings in the area.
- Ineligible vendors include representatives of direct-sale businesses such as Avon, Scentsy, or Pampered Chef etc, as well as agents or sales representatives of global companies.
- Food\Beverage Products:
- Your products must comply with the Guidelines for the Sale of Foods at Temporary Foods Markets. Please be aware that you must obtain pre-approval from the Northern Heath Unit for many food items. It can take up to two weeks to get approval so please allow time.
- All Products:
- Vendors will only sell products outlined in the original application.
- Photographs that represent all the products you are planning to sell must be included with the application.
- Tourism Prince Rupert reserves the right to scrutinize displays and ask you to remove any products from your table if it does not qualify as acceptable merchandise.
SELECTION PROCESS
- The call for vendors will be open starting February 10th, with vendors accepted on an ongoing basis until all spots are filled.
- Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for more information and provided with a booking link to select their preferred lease terms. The booking link will include the preliminary 2023 cruise schedule, so that vendors can understand the commitment their lease term entails.
- Successful applicants are required to sign a licence agreement for the space and code of conduct. All details will be discussed during the selection process.
- Vacancies may also arise throughout the year. All applications will be kept on hand for future unit availability.
Project Sponsors:
Funding for the Development of the Cow Bay Container Market was provided by Northern BC Tourism Association (NBCTA) through the Province of BC’s Targeted Regional Tourism Development Initiative Fund (TRTDI).