Street vendors team up to open night market in San Bernardino

Friday night marked the grand opening of San Bernardino's first ever street vendor led and supervised night market, much to the enjoyment of the community. 

Eighteen vendors teamed up to create the market after changes in California laws and local enforcement forced them from their traditional spots in nearby Muscoy. 

In an effort to keep their businesses alive, and comply with the new laws, the vendors formed a sort of cooperative and create the first ever vendor operated market. 

"I'm excited," said Blanca Lopez, a vendor and owner of De Todo Un Poco, who has been cooking for the community since she wa a little girl. "I'm happy for everybody."

The event was kicked off with an official ribbon cutting, which was met with cheers from the large crowd gathered to take advantage of the grand opening. 

"It's very difficult to get permits to sell on the sidewalk, even though it's not criminalized it's still heavily pnazlied by administrative fines and confiscation of equipment," said Jessica Alcocer, who helped organize the event. 

Alcocer is the Economic Justice Organizer for the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice. She says that the vendors came up with the idea and have been working to obtain the necessary permits for more than a year. 

They raised their own funds to license, set up and sell their products at the market, which is located at D Street and Fifth Street. 

Their move comes as Southern California cities continue to crack down on street vending by mandating expensive and complicated permits and seizing the equipment of those not in compliance. 

"This is one alternative, one solution. But, it's not he solution to street vending," Alcocer said. "Sidewalk vending is still a respectable way for vendors to vend."

Robert Ramirez, who created Rob's Pizzamind after losing a warehouse job during the pandemic, said the event was a long time coming. 

"It took us a long time," Ramirez said. "It took about three years to be able to get everything and get all the permits to be able to sell legally."

He says that the group now has a sense of agency as they work towards the same goal. 

"We're just really excited we'll have a choice in what we want to invest in," Ramirez said. 

The market will be open every Friday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. through June, though organizers are hopeful to keep the event running much longer than that.