Belmont-Devilliers launching monthly market with handmade local goods
A new monthly Belmont-DeVilliers community market is Truth for Youth founder Rev. John Powell’s latest project to restore the Belmont-DeVilliers neighborhood. And it’s all starting this Saturday.
The Truth For Youth Market on the Blocks will be held every third Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot of 401 N. Reus Street, starting on May 27.
Powell expects there to be at least 15 to 20 vendors for the first market, but the space can hold about 75. He is encouraging vendors to bring something handcrafted, homemade or homegrown. Nothing that is mass-produced and resold. He is expecting to see a variety of books, soap, clothing and baked goods for opening day.
Powell intends to use the market as a fundraiser for the century-old building owned by Truth for Youth, a nonprofit that Powell founded in 1993 to provide mentoring and other services to low-income children and teenagers.
“All proceeds and donation go toward the building. Whatever I get, down to nickels, quarters and dollars, whatever we get — we put it into the fund to put a roof on the building,” Powell said. “As soon as we get the building complete, the sooner we can have a place to do robotics and events and an auditorium for our community. That's very much needed.”
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Market for a greater mission
Powell has big plans to transition the building into a multi-purpose space that can be enjoyed by all members of the community.
"We (Belmont DeVilliers) are a part of downtown Pensacola, and we don’t want to be forgotten. So, we're trying our best,” Powell said. “Our past is awesome. I want to be more celebratory of the past of Belmont-DeVilliers so that people will make it their business to stop by and visit.”
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The community market’s $30 tax-deductible vendor fee, along with other donations, will help with renovating the former Smith’s Bakery at 432 W. Belmont Street that began operating in 1924.
The building was listed as part of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2022 Florida’s 11 to Save list.
Powell and other community members have been fighting actively preserve the building and keep it a permanent fixture in the Belmont-DeVilliers community.
The building was at-risk of being placed on the auction block, but Powell secured a bridge loan to pay of the $900,000 mortgage on the building. Despite being made a generous offer by the city, Powell said he had faith that the money would come through.
“That corner is about 102-103 years old. It goes all the way back many, many years. So that's why we're doing what we do. We try to maintain the beauty of the area and bring back a lot of the culture that we once celebrated down on Belmont-DeVilliers,” Powell said.
The restoration of the building and the start of the community market are both ways Powell wants to show the Pensacola community that Belmont-DeVilliers is very much “alive and well.”
Vendors can still register up until 8 a.m. on Saturday by calling or texting Powell at 850-393-0332.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola farmer's market starts up in Belmont-DeVilliers neighborhood
