Next weekend, the Turkey Creek Public Market in West Knox County will shut its doors just a year after opening them.
According to a press release, the market will hold a huge, going-out-of-business sale from July 27th through July 29th.
Officials didn't say why they're closing. The press release simply said, "It's just time to move on." Recently hired Director of Marketing, Virginia Adams, said "we didn't really get a firm explanation."
The market holds 500 booths. Adams delivered the news to vendors Sunday morning. Vendor Brandon Good set up shop last October. He said it wasn't always easy to turn a profit. "We had a real good Christmas season, then it sort of died down after March," Good said.
He speculates location could be to blame. "I know people come from out of town just to go to Turkey Creek," Good said. But the market sits on the other side of the interstate from the mall on a dead end road.
Adams said there is also an issue with the name. "My opinion is the community was not educated as to what a public market is," she said. "We have people calling asking, are you a grocery store? Are you a flea market?"
Adams said she expects more information to come out next week about why the market will be closing. She said the owners were not available to comment on Sunday.