Check Out Kelly Crandall’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Crandall.

Hi Kelly, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story. 
My family moved to Queen Creek, AZ, in 2016. I was so excited to get out and explore and find what type of outside markets AZ had to offer. I found a few that were either just farmers or art-like vendors and was sad that I didn’t see any market that offered a little bit of everything!!!

I reached out to the Town of Queen Creek because the huge empty lot outside of the library was a perfect place to start a Market! So that’s when I got the ball rolling on leasing the space, and going out and finding vendors that I know our town would love to shop from.

We started this market in 2017 with 30 vendors and 2 food trucks, and now in 2024, we have close to 180-200 vendors and over 15 food trucks and booths. We have built this market with our family, and most vendors have become like family, which I think makes our market so special.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
For the first few years, all I heard was this wasn’t going to be successful And I should just give up!!! This, of course, just made me work harder to make sure it did for our community. Also had another curve ball thrown at us in early 2023 that the town was selling the lot we leased to a developer, so I scrambled for quite a few months to find another home for the market, but everyone was turning us down because of our size.

I then reached out to the Schnepf Family, which I thought were also going to turn me down, but surprisingly, were excited about the possible new partnership. So I met with them, and they were willing to give us a shot for the season 23/24… it went so well that they asked us to stay, which was very exciting for us to finally have a home!!

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I actually work for a large company from home and have been with them for 21 years. I also sell Scentsy and run my Market full-time as well!! I love creating and organizing events; it’s what I love to do!!!

I enjoy making people happy and love the feeling of giving vendors the opportunity to make money for their families and giving customers the opportunity to meet these amazing vendors to grab unique items. I’m proud of my family and friends who are always willing to help me make this market run smoothly!

How do you think about luck?
I don’t really believe in “luck” too much, I believe if you work hard for something then that’s how you achieve it. In life, we will always encounter “unlucky” moments, but that’s when we step up and keep trying and make life or business work for us. The one time recently I felt “lucky” was when the Schnepf Family gave us the opportunity to have our market at their farm.

Pricing:

• $50 per Market for Vendors
• Free to enter

Contact Info:

• Website: www.queencreekfamilymarket.com
• Instagram: @Queencreekfamily
• Facebook: @Queen Creek Family Market

Image Credits
RJ Dog Treats
Family S Creations
Snuzzle Swag
Love Connection Dog Rescue
Mrs. Boss Creations