An eight-day vendor festival that was scheduled to end this past Friday may offer longer-range prospects for a few dozen vendors, the show’s organizer and the shopping mall where it’s housed.
Organizer Kim Krause of K&S Southern Hospitality Events said the initial success of the Northgate Mall Christmas Market resulted in an invitation by mall officials to extend the show through Dec. 27, with a possible return of vendors in early 2021.
“We’ve done a ton of business,” she said.
The market, offering handmade gifts and decor from nearly 50 vendors, was scheduled Dec. 11-18 at Northgate, which is owned by CBL & Associates Properties Inc. The Chattanooga-based company, one of the biggest mall operators in the country, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month after coronavirus lockdowns magnified ongoing struggles for brick-and-mortar retailers as many shoppers shifted to online options.
With 107 properties in 26 states, the company is eyeing “unique users” for its retail, dining and entertainment options as it emerges from bankruptcy. In Chattanooga, the company owns Northgate, Hamilton Place and nearby shopping centers.