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Founders' Food Hall and Market expected to open Friday

The food hall and market in the Founders Hall building in Charlottetown is close to opening after a previous delay. It will have more than 20 vendors and plans to be operational year-round, with reduced days in the winter.

Food hall and market plans to be operational year-round and have more than 20 vendors

Sean Patrick Young · CBC News ·
'Of course we all wanted to be open for the summer season, but with every great project comes delays,' says Joanne MacMillan, right. (Sean Patrick Young/CBC)

The food hall and market in the Founders Hall building in Charlottetown is close to opening after a previous delay.

The Founders' Food Hall and Market — expected to open Friday — will have more than 20 vendors and plans to be operational year-round, with reduced days in the winter.

Port Charlottetown, the organization responsible for the project, originally aimed to open the market on Canada Day.

CEO Mike Cochrane said in June there were delays because of a busy construction season.

"Of course we all wanted to be open for the summer season, but with every great project comes delays," said Joanne MacMillan, customer relations and tenant services manager with Port Charlottetown.

"We wanted it to be open and be a 'wow factor'. We didn't want to piecemeal it for the sake of just opening."

The food hall section of the building includes local businesses like Stir It Up, Receiver Coffee Co. and Big Burger. (Sean Patrick Young/CBC)
A mezzanine seating area for 100 looks out over the market and food hall. (Sean Patrick Young/CBC)

Vendors like Donna MacLeod, of the Happy Potter pottery studio, and Lee Clark and Jordan MacPhee of Green Fork Local Food, thought the delay gave them a bit more time to prepare.

"It just allowed us to do a lot more planning," said MacPhee. "It's better to take your time and do things right than to rush things."

Jordan MacPhee, left, of Green Fork Local Food says the delay in opening gave him and Lee Clark time to plan. (Sean Patrick Young/CBC)

The market will also have demonstrations and interactive experiences.

Vendors will take turns in a demo kitchen, and the Happy Potter will be offering paint-your-own-pottery sessions.

Some vendors, like Soap & Candle from the Hive, have fully separate store areas in the market section. (Sean Patrick Young/CBC)
The food hall includes a demo kitchen, where different vendors will provide lessons and demonstrations. (Sean Patrick Young/CBC)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sean Patrick Young

Sean is a P.E.I.-born journalist splitting his time between Canada's smallest province and Toronto. Email him at sean.young@cbc.ca or find him on Twitter at @seanpatyoung.

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