Hundreds shop at Magical Marketplace

Vendors and shoppers filled two rooms of Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church for the church’s annual Magical Marketplace.

The shopping event took place on Friday, Nov. 13, and Pastor of Elementary Ministries Ruth Grissom said she was impressed by the turnout.

“I think the weather has helped,” she said. “We’ve seen the whole church and the community too.”

Denise Williams, director of outreach and missions, said she enjoyed working with the vendors.

“The vendors have been so sweet,” she said.

Vendors didn’t have to pay to set up at a booth at the marketplace, Grissom said, but 20 percent of their total sales will go back to the church. Those funds are then divided equally between elementary ministries and missions.

Grissom said the money raised at Magic Marketplace will be used to renovate the elementary ministries area at the church. She said they hope to repaint and make other updates that make the area more vibrant.

“We haven’t done anything down there for about 11 years, so it’s time to revamp,” she said.