Paying it forward in New West with pop-ups

Pop-Up Shops at Barley's in Sapperton begins Saturday, March 25

Author

Ria Renouf
March 23, 2023

Curtis Van Marck owns Barley’s Home Brewing in Sapperton

From humble beginnings flipping through a WIlliams-Sonoma catalogue (at least, he’s fairly sure it was a Williams-Sonoma catalogue) and spotting a homebrewing kit in that, to offering up his own business space to help other local entrepreneurs—the future is bright for Curtis Van Marck, who owns Barley’s Home Brewing.

“[I got into it] before Parallel 49 even opened,” he reminisces with a smile. “I [then went] to Dan’s Home Brewing Supplies—which has since closed down … and I left with my starter kit,” explains Van Marck, adding that his starter kits have also served as a nod to the shuttered Vancouver shop.

Fast forward to 2023, and the store has not only grown to offering supplies, but kombucha on tap too. It’s also picked up a spate of awards, including multiple wins for best local homebrewing store at the Growler Awards.

While Van Marck has spent years helping people realize their own aspirations of brewing beer and kombucha, he’s excited for the launch of his latest initiative, allowing local businesses to showcase all the amazing goods and services they have to offer.

Pop-Up Shops at Barleys will begin on Saturday, March 25, with the weekly spring event including a rotating who’s who of local small businesses you can come visit—the offering a nod to his own beginnings and experiences as a small business owner.

Barley’s has been a staple in the Sapperton community for a decade, and it initially opened in the 101 unit at 455 E. Columbia. It later acquired the space next door—that space will serve as the home to a number of rotating vendors.

“The idea is that we’ll open up the 102 side of our store for vendors to sell their wares on Saturdays in the spring,” explains Van Marck.

Who will be at the Saturday pop-ups?

“It’s just a little bit of goodwill for the community … and I think it’s the future of small business: shared spaces. I think it’s just becoming increasingly difficult for a small business to make it work,” reflects Van Marck, adding that he wants to offer other small business owners a way to stand together and succeed in the community.

Vendors can use the space for $75, with Van Marck adding that it serves entrepreneurs from all walks: whether they’re already established, or they’re just starting out and want to test the waters selling something they’ve created.

“For anybody wanting to start their business [ask yourself]: is it something you want to do all the time? Is it something you are hoping other people will run?”

He adds that by offering a welcoming space to run, it’ll allow creators and makers to focus on whether this is something they want to do.

“It always starts [with passion]. Without passion, you just wouldn’t go through the effort. You can say that about making your own beer in general,” he notes. “[As with any business], once you realize how much effort goes into it—time and effort—you have to enjoy doing it, otherwise you’re just not going to stick with it.”

If you’d like to become a vendor, you can reach out to Van Marck at [email protected]