The Kitchener Market is set to remain closed until the spring of 2027 as the city progresses with restoration efforts following the hiring of a contractor. The exact reopening date has not been announced since the indoor section of the market was shut down due to an electrical fire at a vendor stall last July.
Woodhouse Restoration Services, a local company, is currently on-site, as stated by the city in a recent news release, working on the restoration and remediation tasks. This phase of the restoration involves the removal and disposal of fire-damaged building materials, such as walls and flooring, along with cleaning and decontaminating affected surfaces.
To assist vendors during this period, the city has reduced vendor fees and expanded the outdoor market with a temporary setup in the breezeway and parking lot behind the building. This adjustment allowed more than a dozen indoor vendors to return in September, bringing the total vendors at the Saturday market to about 46.
Preparations for winter operations are also underway to ensure vendors can continue operating during the colder months. Mojgan Hayratiyan, co-owner of Serrinia Cafe, expressed the significant impact the fire had on her business, reducing her from three coffee shops to just one stall in the temporary outdoor area. Other returning vendors like Bubinsky’s Bakery owners Lainie Fefferman and Jascha Narveson appreciated the rent reduction, highlighting the financial strain they faced since the fire.
The cost to maintain the interim market open is estimated at $360,000, according to a city council report, with a full closure of the indoor market projected to result in a similar revenue loss, leading to a break-even scenario.