Current Summer Hours:
Saturday: 7a-11a
Wednesday: closed
Online Market: closed

Current Summer Hours:
Saturday: 7a-11a
Wednesday: closed
Online Market: closed

Rules and Regulations and General Information 2024

Gather Arizona Mission:

We are dedicated to connecting Arizonans with their local farmers, producers and makers.  Our physical markets (Uptown Saturday & Uptown Wednesday) are food-based farmers markets and gathering spaces, dedicated to inspiring and educating home cooks through Arizona local produce, handmade foods and handcrafted goods. Our online marketplace (Gather Arizona Express) is an extension of this local connection, offering curbside pickup and home delivery to simplify the exchange between local vendors and customers.

Gather Arizona Manager:

Bo Mostow
602-859-5648
bo@uptownmarketaz.com

Location:

SE Corner of Central Avenue and Bethany Home Road
North Phoenix Baptist Church
5757 N Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85012

Days & Hours:

Uptown Saturday
Year-round. Rain or Shine.
Closed for city parades staged on this campus (2 closure dates/year)
8am-1pm October - April
7am-11am May - September

Uptown Wednesday
October - April.  Rain or Shine.
9am-1pm
Wednesday market closes for summer (May through September)

Uptown Online (Gather Arizona Express)
Year-round.  Rain or Shine.
Closed for city parades staged on this campus (2 closure dates/year)
Every Saturday: Curbside Pickup + Home Delivery

Website:

Physical Marketplace & Online Marketplace:  www.uptownmarketaz.com

Social Media:

Physical Marketplace & Online Marketplace:  @UptownMarketAZ (FB, Insta, Twitter)

Newsletter:

Sign up to receive monthly emails for Uptown Saturday, Uptown Wednesday & Uptown Online (the sign-up link is on website: uptownmarketaz.com)

Market Conduct:

Vendors, this is your market as much as it is ours.  Surely you will agree with the policy that consistency (being here every week), timeliness (being set up, car moved and ready to vend 10 minutes prior to market opening) and friendliness (being considerate of each other) are essential in order for us to thrive.  We do not support negative speak in the marketplace.  If you struggle with any of these things then Uptown is likely not a good fit for you.

Farmers Market Integrity:

Uptown is a farmers market and we strive to maintain that integrity.  As such, in order to be a consistent vendor at Uptown, products must fall into one of the following categories:  food, plant, kitchen or garden. If your product does not fit into one of the listed categories you may apply as a “Visiting Artist” (see below). Uptown reserves the right to determine categorical placement and may reject any vendor applicant at any time for any or no reason. We believe in healthy competition and that every vendor has something different to offer. This means that we often do not limit the number of vendors selling a similar product.  We do not allow booth-sharing.

Visiting Artists:

The number of “Visiting Artists” admitted to the market is limited.  Visiting Artists participate in the market on a rotating schedule and are generally permitted to participate in the market once every 4-6 weeks.  Uptown reserves sole discretion to rotate Visiting Artists based on its judgement and discretion. 

**Please note -- We are completely full (with long wait lists) in the categories of: jewelry, soap, bath/body, essential oils, perfumes and clothing. We are no longer accepting applications for these products; submitted applications will likely receive no response.

Quality of Products:

Uptown Farmers Market is not a producers-only market.  While we strongly promote and emphasize locally grown first, we recognize that many things do not grow, or are not produced in Arizona.  We embrace and appreciate the vendors who work hard to source these sustainable, specialty items for sale at the Market (i.e., fish, coffee, various fruits and vegetables, olive oils, etc).

We pledge transparency for our customers, and we do expect you to be honest and open with customers. It is unethical to source an item and pretend that it is something you have grown, made or created. It is unethical to purchase food items and repackage them to look like your own product.  Please know that a violation of these policies will be grounds for dismissal at Uptown. 

You are only allowed to sell the items you identified in your signed Gather Arizona Vendor Agreement. If you would like to sell other items, you must update and re-submit the Gather Arizona Vendor Agreement for approval by the Market Manager.

Products that are not accepted at Uptown:

As we are on a church campus, we are unable to allow sampling, selling or display of alcohol products or CBD/Hemp products of any kind. 

We do not accept applications for food items that have been heavily processed, including items made in a factory by a machine (such as vitamins, supplements, protein powders, weight loss shakes or drinks, muscle building endorsements, etc).

We respect that this property already houses a 2-floor gymnasium and exercise facility, and thus do not accept applications from other fitness institutions.

We do not offer tabling opportunities, for nonprofits or other groups.

Insurance:

*If you are a newly applying vendor, do not add us to your insurance policy until you have been accepted.  When submitting the application it is okay to put:  “Will obtain upon acceptance” in the insurance policy line.

Once accepted as a vendor, and as required in the Gather Arizona Vendor Agreement, you must secure commercial general liability insurance in an amount not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence for property damage, bodily injury and personal injury with an insurance carrier acceptable to Gather Arizona. 

Please be sure to add both entities below as an additional insured to your policy:

Gather Arizona, LLC
North Phoenix Baptist Church
5757 North Central Avenue
Phoenix AZ 85012

*Both of the above entities need to be listed, if this is incorrect you will need to resubmit

Day of Market:

When vending at Uptown you are committing to being present and set up for the entire duration of market. We place an orange cone perimeter around the market 30 minutes prior to opening and you will not be allowed to drive into marketplace after it is coned off.  We expect your car to be moved out of the marketplace 20 minutes prior to opening.  We expect your booth to be setup, and ready to vend 10 minutes prior to market opening. We expect you to be in your booth for the duration of the market, or have a fellow vendor watching your space for bathroom breaks. In addition, the breakdown of your booth cannot begin before the close of market.  If you sell out early, please stay in your booth, fully setup, until market close. 

We have a market crew to assist with some heavier items, but you are expected to be able to unload, setup, breakdown and load your booth on your own.  Please be aware that at least 30 minutes before market opening our crew will not be available to assist you as they will be finishing our own last minute market needs.  This is a family-friendly environment; all products, labels and signage must be wholesome in both word and image. This is a no smoking, no drug, no CBD product campus

Uptown is a relaxed-vibe market, please do not stand outside of your booth promoting products; and please do not call out loudly to customers.  Vendors are expected to stay in their own booth.  Good signage and a smile will bring customers to you.  If you choose to bring your child or dog to market, they must remain in your booth, next to your side, from the time that you drive onto campus, to the time you drive off the campus; they may not leave your side unaccompanied for any reason.  Your dog must remain on a 4-ft leash that is in your hand.  After market please dispose of your garbage in the large garbage bins on the East side of property.  Boxes do need to be broken down so they are flat when placed into the garbage bins. 

Outdoor  vs. Indoor Booth
During summer we do move part of the market indoors.  We make no guarantees as to whether you will be indoors or outdoors.  We do our best to accommodate requests but not all will be granted.

Indoor Booth (Summer Months Only -- June through Sept, limited availability):
If you are assigned an indoor booth during the summer months, you need not bring a tent or tables. An 8’ table will be provided to you. Note that a tablecloth is still mandatory. For indoor booths, please unload on the East Side of the church.  Once you determine where your table is, unload your items quickly, move your car, and then return to setup your booth. We ask that you are fully setup at least 10 minutes prior to opening.  During breakdown, make sure your area is clean and only then bring your car into the loading area. 

Outdoor Booth Setup Requirements (Year-Round):
As required under the Gather Arizona Vendor Agreement, a 10’x10’ white tent with straight legs and 4 tent weights of at least 20 pounds each, that attach directly to the tent, are required for outdoor booths. Unloading for outdoor setup occurs on the North/East Side of the church property.  Once you determine where your booth is, unload your items quickly, move your car and then setup your booth.  We ask that you are setup at least 10 minutes prior to opening. During breakdown, please pack your items and clean your area before pulling your car into the setup aisle.  We ask that you not bring your car into the unloading aisle until we move the orange cone perimeter after closing.  If there are customers in the aisle after closing, we ask that you not drive into the aisle until they are gone.

Online Market:

Every Vendor is welcome to participate in the Gather Arizona Express Online Market. The weekly deadline for customer online orders is Wednesday evening at midnight.  Directly after the order window closes, participating Vendors automatically receive a specialized order report listing how many items were ordered and of what type, so you will know all preorders 2 full days in advance.

Vendors must drop off all ordered items in bulk, including proper labeling and packaging and in whatever temperature-controlled container you use at market, at Uptown each Saturday morning by 8 am.  Items can be walked over to the drop off area, but we offer an easy drive-thru drop-off service for vendors, anytime between 6am and 8am on the east side of Building B.

Customers who purchase items from the online market will be given the opportunity to either pick-up their order from the onsite market at curbside, or have their order delivered to their home.

Items offered online should be the same price at which you are offering that item at the physical market.  This is simply an extension of our regular market; online market fees and physical market fees are both 10%.  Online payments will be deposited into your account weekly.

Methods of Payment & Token Information (BLACK TOKENS)

Square or similar programs are an acceptable method of payment at Uptown. Also note that we have a token system in place, so you must also accept tokens. Black tokens are provided to our customers at the information booth.  These tokens are given in denominations of $10, please treat each token like a $10 bill. You may give cash back to your customers and you may use the tokens to pay your fees at end of market.

SNAP & EBT Token Information (ORANGE + GRAY TOKENS)

The terms “food stamps,” “SNAP,” “EBT,” and “QWEST,” are synonymous.  They all refer to the SNAP program offered through the USDA.  The SNAP program provides food benefits for low-income families, the majority of these recipients being children.

We accept SNAP benefits at Uptown through a unique token system.  SNAP customers swipe their EBT card at the information booth.  Orange tokens are provided in denominations of $5 and gray tokens are provided in denominations of $1.  Again, please treat each token as a $5 or $1 EXCEPT there is NO CASH BACK for orange or gray tokens.

Only certain vendors may accept orange and gray tokens. You MAY accept these tokens if you have food items that can be taken home and consumed for the week.  You MAY NOT accept these tokens if your food items are to be consumed onsite.  For example, customers may use orange & gray tokens to purchase bags of coffee but not an iced coffee. You may not accept these tokens if you are not an approved vendor.

Uptown is not able to accept DUFB coins, AZFMNP Senior or WIC Checks. 

Cash:

Every vendor is expected to accept cash, and to be able to make change.

End of Market

At the end of market you will receive an envelope containing a market slip. Please complete the slip, put the white copy inside the envelope (you keep the yellow copy), along with payment of your applicable sales fee, and submit the envelope to the information booth.  Please note that “Total Sales” does include any preorders and prepaid orders.  If you are in any way using this location for promotion, pickup, drop off, those all are considered a “sale at Uptown”.  We recycle envelopes, please do not write on the outside, or seal closed.

Saturday Vendor Options:

You may choose to sign up as a ‘regular season’ vendor, here 8 months (October thru May), or as a ‘year-round’ vendor (here all 12 months).

Attendance & Tardiness Policy

To promote consistency, reliability and excellent customer service, we have the following attendance policy in place:

  1. Only 4 missed markets/year will be allowed for Saturday markets.  Summer is special:  there is no penalty if you are a vendor who takes the summer off.  Vendors who are signed up for the summer session (June/July/August/Sept) will be allotted 1 extra missed market day, for a total of 5 missed markets/year. (Indoor vendors will be allowed 1 missed market before their space is given to the next person on the wait list).
  2. Separately and distinctly, only 4 missed markets/year will be allowed for Wednesday markets between October 1st and April 30th.
  3. Those in violation of the policy will be subject to a 3-mo suspension of the privilege to participate at Uptown.  You are welcome to return after your suspension has been lifted, as long as there are no further missed markets for the year.  (Or, if there is a waiting list for the product you sell, you will be added to that waitlist after your suspension has been lifted).
  4. Repeated tardiness or last minute cancels will result in: verbal warning, written warning, then dismissal
  5. We have zero tolerance for no-shows at Uptown.  Any missed market needs to be emailed to bo@uptownmarketaz.com or texted to 602-859-5648.

Illegal Drugs & Medical Marijuana

Neither illegal drugs, or medical marijuana are permitted on this campus.  Under Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Act, no one is allowed to possess or engage in the use of medical marijuana on the grounds of any preschool or primary or secondary school.  The campus used by Uptown Farmers Market houses 2 separate schools, provides the pickup and drip-off location for all Madison school children and we host a number of school-sponsored field trips. 

Employees

It is your responsibility as the business owner to ensure any/all employees are familiar with the policies indicated in the Gather Arizona Vendor Agreement prior to starting.

Questions

Thank you for your interest!  Please contact Bo Mostow, Market Manager, Gather Arizona, LLC, bo@uptownmarketaz.com, 602-859-5648, with further questions.