The York Manor has nestled on the corner of York and 49th Street since its construction in 1913. Originally a Methodist congregation, the Manor has mainly operated as a private event venue since its establishment as a historic landmark in 2014 by the Cultural Heritage Commission of Los Angeles, according to their website. However, creative producer Garrett Gooch seeks to fill the space with community through the creation of the York Manor Market.
Gooch said they have hosted two markets so far March 3 and March 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., boasting around 50 vendors at each event which sold a variety of food, drink, clothing, jewelry, ceramics and other goods with an emphasis on local sustainable handmade and vintage items.
“Our vendors were just selling all day, people were all over the venue listening to live and brought their dogs,” Gooch said. “We had little kids dancing in the backyard to the music. People were eating constantly, our food vendors were just cooking the entire day.”
According to Gooch, The York Manor Market has had a successful start with the help of its attractive branding that garnered the attention of their vendors and visitors.
“I truly think that the reason we got so many vendors was not just that we had a lot of friends who bet on us and wanted to be a part of it, which we love, but my girlfriend Maria spent so much time creating these gorgeous beautiful assets and creating a whole brand structure.” Gooch said, “So whether you knew us or didn’t know us you still wanted to bet on us.”
Kamila Jaremko founded the Dirty Clay Dishes in 2018 and said that she sold at York Manor Market’s second event March 24 after being approached by Gooch while vending at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Jamenko also said she was surprised at the amount she was able to sell through the York Manor Market, given its novelty.
“I came, I set up my table, and the co-founders, they handed over to every vendor gift bags, with water and Yerba Mate, and it was just so lovely,” Jamenko said.
Because of his former experience as a vendor for 2120 Handcrafted shoe company, Gooch said he knows how far those small acts of welcoming can mean.
“We are trying to do everything we can to show we care and to show our points of difference, and I truly think that goes far,” Gooch said. “We are trying hard to treat people with every ounce of love and care that we possibly can.”
In terms of the layout of the market, York Manor again strives to set itself apart from similar events, according to Gooch.
“We have quite limited space and we try to keep things like organize, we try to create kind of like a unique customer journey of how these folks who are visiting our event how they can peruse and kind of like not be bombarded by too many things but be introduced to many different people and their stories and their products in a way that’s digestible,” Gooch said.
The layout of the market lends itself to a unique and enjoyable experience for customers, vendors, and performers alike, according to vendor Brizette Castellenos, owner of GuauGuau dog treat company.
“Sometimes it feels like people who are hosting these markets have a bigger interest in propelling themselves financially rather than making it a welcoming space for the vendors and customers,” Castellanos said. “That’s not the vibe I got with York Manor.”
Castellanos said the venue’s expansive layout is perfect for her to sell her products.
“The venue is beautiful, there’s a front area of the front lawn and then there’s a back lawn as well and a huge space inside the building itself,” Castellanos said. “It has a stage and they usually have live performances happening as they set up a lot of different vendors inside of the front lawn and the backlog. I think it makes for a great pet-friendly venue because there’s a lot of grass areas and it’s wide and open.”
Overall, the goal of the market is to be accessible for all types of people, and to encourage community togetherness, according to Gooch.
“I want to create a space for people to come with others or alone and leave with new friends regardless of how you came,” Gooch said.
According to Gooch, there are three upcoming Sunday markets at York Manor: April 21, May 5 and May 19.
Contact Paige Thomas at pthomas2@oxy.edu
