By Laura Bailey
The highly anticipated Bristol Bazaar opened its doors on Saturday to a large crowd of patrons.
The idea for the indoor marketplace was envisioned by local business owners Eric and Care Verikas of Dusty Dude Woodworks more than three years ago. The couple were awarded $235,000 in American Rescue Plan grant money by the city in early 2022 to begin creating the marketplace.
“We wanted to help people who are doing side hustles right now turn those side hustles into more,” said Eric Verikas. “That was important to us.”
“We got our ARPA funding in March of 2022 and started construction last fall,” said Care Verikas. “Now we’re open and it’s unreal in the best way.”
The interior and exterior of the Bristol Bazaar. | All photos by Laura Bailey
The Bristol Bazaar is a 5,800 square-foot space located downtown at 67 Race St. The indoor space currently features more than two dozen local vendors selling a variety of handmade products, including jewelry, soaps, baked goods, dog treats and clothing.
The unique destination offers a creative experience for vendors and patrons alike. A coffee and cocktail lounge will be opening soon for guests to enjoy beverages and light food indoors or on the shaded patio. The upscale interior features brick tiles, Juliet balconies and intricate murals painted by local artists.
“All of the work in here was done by a Connecticut business, a small business or a small Connecticut business,” said Care Verikas. “In some way, shape or form, we use as many different artists as we can.
“We used two muralists and we just hired a third muralist to work with us. The wire lettering when you walk in were handmade by an artist in Hartford. It was important to us that small business built our business to help other small businesses; it’s all really special to us.”
The Bristol Bazaar offers vendors three space options: tables, customizable walk-in retail spaces or vendor carts that were hand made by the Verikases in their woodshop.
On opening day, 26 of the available 32 spaces had been booked for periods of time ranging from one month to 18 months. Many of the spaces have started booking into the new year.
Laura Bailey can be reached at lbailey@bristoledition.org
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