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BadWill kicks off Capitol Hill pop-up shopping season with ‘tailgate’ edition

Get your holiday shopping and your tailgating started early this Sunday. BadWill Market returns to the Rhino Room with a special Seahawks-themed edition of the grandmama of Capitol Hill’s all-star squad of pop-ups markets.

With a rash of retail pop-ups having appeared on the Hill, especially over the holiday season, BadWill is one of the oldest, weighing in at five years. It’s a one-stop shop for crafts, clothing, and miscellany from local vendors.

It’s also a chance to do a little day drinking.

“Five years ago there really wasn’t a market on Capitol Hill that took place inside a bar,” Osiris Navarro, owner of BadWill Market said. “Add drinking to any shopping event, and the results are awesome for the vendors. My friend Phil helped me start BadWill and we approached our good friend Marcus Lalario if we could use his bar The War Room to host a market.”

Though they only post up about once a month, due to limited space and event coordination with bars, Navarro said the scene has been extremely welcoming.

“The reception has been so good, to the point where it’s hard for me to keep up,” she said. “My inbox is full of interested vendors, and I feel bad because I don’t have a market every Sunday to accommodate all of them.”

"@koe.zee is bringing some heat next Sunday November 15th to our Tailgate Edition of #badwillmarket! Shop their #Seahawks inspired embroidered goodies + their usual merch"

“@koe.zee is bringing some heat next Sunday November 15th to our Tailgate Edition of #badwillmarket! Shop their #Seahawks inspired embroidered goodies + their usual merch”

Navarro took great pains to develop a unique identity for the pop up. Even though she wanted it to be temporary, it was also important that it be memorable.

“The elements of BadWill are taking a classic flea market or craft fair but integrating key elements of fun such as food and day drinking, a live DJ, etc.,” she said. “5 years ago was also the height of social media and its been a great tool on finding vendors and getting the word out there. The name BadWill came from me complaining about Goodwill prices rising.”

She also wanted to keep all her products local and reflective of the city and the neighborhood where she sets up shop.

“I pick my vendors based on the theme, season, of the market,” Navarro said. “Each market is a different edition. For instance, I did an all Women’s market in May, a Fall Harvest one in October, this month will be the Seahawks Tailgate edition, and December will of course be holiday.”

Expect to see plenty more shopping opportunities popping up around the Hill inside bars, cafes, and event giant coffee roasting plants. Thursday night, Starbucks VIPs were on hand at the Melrose roastery to unveil the popular tourist spot’s holiday “Pop-In Shop.”

(Images: Starbucks)

“Some items are tied to coffee, but we also feature things that are fun and giftable,” Jennifer Quotson, vice president of Starbucks Creative, said. “It’s an eclectic mix, but they are all tied together through the coffeehouse experience.”

Featured “makers” include Hardmill, “the Seattle-based company that crafted the leather wrap on the Roastery’s railings and produces the leather and waxed canvas aprons worn by the roasters and baristas,” selling leather coasters and coffee cup sleeves, waxed canvas aprons and totes, and “a coffee brew kit in a leather bag designed exclusively for the Roastery that includes everything needed for a great cup of coffee on the go.”

Back at BadWill, Navarro said that even though the pop-up retail market has exploded in Capitol Hill, just like the population, rents, property taxes, etc, her market still offers something that shoppers can’t find anywhere else.

“There really isn’t anything like BadWill Market,” she said. “It’s more than just a shopping experience. It’s about connecting with people in your community so artists and designers can understand their consumer. It’s about making your new best friend. It’s about catching a daytime buzz and putting your money into someone’s pocket, who will probably use that towards paying their rent. It’s fun, laid back, unpretentious, and I’m so happy to see returning customers and supporters back every month.”

Visit BadWill Market at the Rhino Room on E Pike, Sunday, Nov. 15, beginning at 12 PM. You can learn more at facebook.com/badwillmarket.

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Cat
Cat
8 years ago

There actually was a market taking place in a bar, I believe the Art Ache market has been going since 2011.