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Local micro-vendors ask Columbiana to secure visible pop-up space; city to follow up
Summary
A local vendor asked council to help secure a stable, visible space for pop-up vendors and food trucks after corporate retailers and a county-lot arrangement ceased or proved difficult; Mayor Davis committed to follow up with staff to identify a suitable city-owned or shared lot.
During the public-comment portion of the Columbiana pre-council meeting, an unnamed local vendor described struggles finding a sustainable location for pop-up sales and asked the city to act as an intermediary to secure a visible, accessible lot.
The speaker said vendors have business licenses, remit sales tax and have in the past used private locations such as O’Reilly’s with permission; corporate decisions have halted those arrangements. She said Piggly Wiggly declined requests and efforts to contact the county manager’s office about using the courthouse overflow lot have not yielded callbacks.
“We just need...an accessible place,” the vendor said, noting the city owns a circular lot near Mill Street and suggesting that as a potential location when the art center is not using the area.
Mayor Davis and staff acknowledged the request and said they would look into options, including the city-owned lots around the art center and coordination with county property managers. The mayor said city staff would follow up with the vendor to identify a safe, visible site and avoid conflicts with scheduled events.
Council did not take a formal vote on the matter; staff follow-up and coordination with county officials were discussed as next steps.
