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“Wyoming’s Gathering Spot”: City of Wyoming celebrates grand opening of Godwin Mercado

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The City of Wyoming celebrated the grand opening of the new Godwin Mercado on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025 (Courtesy, Matthew Reed/WKTV)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


The City of Wyoming celebrated the grand opening of the new Godwin Mercado on Saturday, Aug. 16 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and free community event.

Senator Hilary Scholten (left) and Wyoming Parks and Recreation Director Krashawn Martin cut the ribbon, officially opening Godwin Mercado (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

The warm summer morning began at 10:30 a.m. with statements given by State Representative John Fitzgerald, U.S. Senator Hilary Scholten, City of Wyoming Mayor Kent Vanderwood and Wyoming Parks and Recreation Director Krashawn Martin.

“The Godwin Mercado is a project that embodies the best of what our community can achieve when we come together with purpose and vision,” said Mayor Vanderwood. “It is a true honor to stand here today as we officially open the Godwin Mercado.”

Support from the community helped make Godwin Mercado a reality (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Krashawn Martin echoed Mayor Vanderwood’s remarks, saying the marketplace would not have been possible without broad community support.

“My heart is beyond happy to see so many smiling faces, so many different pieces and pockets that really build the community that is Wyoming,” said Martin. “I’m so honored to be a tiny piece of making this beautiful space come together.”

Placemaking in action

Managed and programmed by the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department, the 6,000-square-foot, $6.2 million facility community event space will provide year-round usage opportunities to local vendors, seasonal farm and artisan markets, food trucks, community events and private events.

Godwin Mercado is recognized as Wyoming’s new gathering spot for the community (Courtesy, Matthew Reed)

Market days will also help fill key gaps in the area’s food system, helping support the well-being of residents in the Godwin Heights area and the entire Wyoming community.

Representative Fitzgerald expressed the value Godwin Mercado brings for this generation as well as future generations.

“This is placemaking in action for this community,” said Rep. Fitzgerald. “It’s going to bring attention, good attention, to this community. I cannot be prouder of the City of Wyoming and its investment in this space.”

After the ribbon cutting, community members gathered for several free activities, including a meal, games, face painting and live music, all provided by Wyoming food and artisan vendors.

  • Local Kona Ice provided refreshing treats (Courtesy, Matthew Reed)
  • Free face painting was enjoyed by both children and adults (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • A free meal was served to all in attendance (Courtesy, Matthew Reed)
  • All participating vendors are local to Wyoming (Courtesy, Matthew Reed)
  • Large garage doors allow for easy access to and from the Mercado indoor event space (Courtesy, Matthew Reed)
  • Wyoming Police let children explore department vehicles (Courtesy, Matthew Reed)
  • Playing with bubbles is a must for all ages (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Children enjoyed several fun activities (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • All participating vendors are local to Wyoming (Courtesy, Matthew Reed)
  • Wyoming firefighters and police officers chatted with event guests (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Children enjoyed several fun activities (Courtesy, Matthew Reed)
  • Celebration attendees enjoyed live music (Courtesy, Matthew Reed)
  • Rep. John Fitzgerald (left) and Wyoming Parks and Recreation Director Krashawn Martin visit with celebration guests (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

The outdoor plaza was filled with fun, family-friendly activity while the main indoor event space allowed seating and shade for those eating or simply needing a break from the sun.

A thread of connection

An unveiling of the colorful mural on Godwin Mercado’s outer south wall also took place.

The Godwin Mercado mural tells the history of the City through “story stacking” (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Installed by local nonprofit, Lions & Rabbits Center for the Arts, and painted by Filipina street muralist and visual anthropreneur Venazir, the mural is a testament to Wyoming’s history, resilience and spirit – and was inspired by a game of Jenga.

“I was playing Jenga with my friends, and then I thought of stacking all the bits and pieces of who was Wyoming, who is Wyoming,” Venazir told WKTV Journal.

As Venazir researched the City’s history, she recognized the importance of not only the Godwin Mercado space, but what the significance and impact of revitalizing that space means to the community.

Titled “Stacked Stories” and “Building Balance,” the mural’s stacked images reveal the many facets of Wyoming’s lifespan while giving a poetic nod to the layered narrative of Godwin Heights and Wyoming and emphasizing the balance between past and progress.

Mural artist Venazir continued working on the mural during the celebration (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Another prominent element of the mural is a red thread weaving through the images.

“The red thread is the most symbolic element in my work,” said Venazir. “It’s this unifying element that I use across all of my murals.”

Since 2017 in the Philippines, Venazir’s red thread has been weaving a tapestry of stories internationally as she explores the intricate relationships between human traditions and the ever-changing landscapes that shape them.

“It stitches us [together] in ways that we couldn’t even imagine,” said Venazir. “My journey as an artist is to visualize the process that there is a red thread that guides us. That thread stretches and tangles, but it is never broken.”

Learn more about Venazir and her dynamic art here.

An educational avenue

Godwin Mercado will not only provide fresh food options and space for events, it will also collaborate with local schools and organizations to host educational activities.

(Courtesy, Godwin Heights)

Chad Conklin, Superintendent of Godwin Heights Public Schools, said school staff and students are excited about the opportunities Godwin Mercado offers.

“What this building is going to bring with the agriculture – it’s going to be fantastic,” Conklin told WKTV. “We’re looking at ways to be able to incorporate our own curriculum within it and hopefully support that through our science classes.”

Conklin also appreciates the increased accessibility the Mercado parking lot provides for the adjoining Godwin Heights athletic complex activities.

Helping our city thrive

Sen. Hilary Scholten said Godwin Mercado will play an important role in helping support small businesses and local entrepreneurs in West Michigan.

“Close to 99% of businesses in the State of Michigan are considered small businesses,” said Senator Scholten. “That is what makes our economy so beautiful and so diverse.

“Places like the Mercado are going to continue to support those small businesses and help them to thrive.”

(Courtesy, Matthew Reed)

Resource links

The Godwin Mercado full market grand opening is planned for spring of 2026. For updates, sign up for the Godwin Mercado newsletter here.

The Mercado provides various options for residents to embark upon their own personal entrepreneurial journeys. Interested vendors can sign up to participate weekly or for the entire market season via a vendor application.

For more information about Godwin Mercado, click here.

Watch this short clip to hear what City of Wyoming officials have to say about the opening of Godwin Mercado! (Courtesy, Tom Norton WKTV)

Godwin Mercado near completion, City of Wyoming offers sneak-peek of new community space

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The City of Wyoming provided a tour of their new community market space, Godwin Mercado (Courtesy, Cris Greer WKTV)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Kyle VanEerden, Market Manager (right), and Krashawn Martin, Wyoming Parks and Recreation Director (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

The City of Wyoming provided a tour of their new community market space, Godwin Mercado, on Tuesday, July 1.

Managed and programmed by Kyle VanEerden, Godwin Mercado Market Manager, and the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department, the market space will support local vendors, seasonal farm and artisan markets, food trucks, community events and private events.

Krashawn Martin, Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department Director, provided a preview of the nearly completed 6,000-square-foot, $6.2 million facility.

“The Godwin Mercado is a year-round market facility that we are looking at as a really amazing and beautiful gift to the community here in Wyoming,” said Martin.

“A lot of work has been done to get us to this point,” Martin continued, noting that the Mercado groundbreaking was held seven months ago. “It’s amazing to see the progress that has happened in the building so far.”

The Mercado will be fully operational in fall of 2025 and will soon open for community reservations and events. The full farmers market will open in spring of 2026 to allow a full season for farm vendors.


Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department staff talk with local media in Godwin Mercado’s outdoor plaza (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Fulfilling a vital need

Not only will the Mercado provide fun and educational activities and events, market days will provide fresh and healthy food options with access to all food assistance currencies. This will fill key gaps in the area’s food system and help support the well-being of local residents.

“This is definitely fulfilling a need,” said Martin. “We’re definitely trying to fill a gap in the food system over here. There are some options of grocery stores nearby, but we really want to be able to provide fresh food options to the community right here in this neighborhood while also providing some education.”

A community hub

On the west end is the Mercado outdoor plaza, a multipurpose space that can accommodate vendors, activities and live music, seating and can be rented for community events. Electrical power is available for food trucks and other event needs.

The Godwin Mercado outdoor plaza (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)


“Imagine there’s live music happening, there’s a lot of community, there’s kids laughing, there’s people talking,” said Martin. “That’s what this space should feel and look like once we’re fully operational.”

Accessible from the outdoor plaza is the Mercado main entrance and lobby. Restrooms can be found immediately to the left upon entering the lobby. Down the hall is a multipurpose room that can be utilized for meetings and during events. Another small room offers appliances such as warmers, a freezer and a refrigerator with a window connecting to the main event space.


Godwin Mercado main event space (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)


The main event space includes automatic overhead doors and room for 20-24 vendors. Outdoor space for additional vendors is available along the building’s north wall.

Two utility rooms with storage space and a full AV setup at the east end of the building round out the market space.

Events year-round

Godwin Mercado is open all year – even during Michigan’s winter months. Eight automatic overhead doors that open and close facilitate that year-round possibility.


Large overhead doors can be opened or closed depending on weather (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)


“In those colder weather months, maybe you’ll see the garage doors down, maybe we’ll have a little breeze going,” said Martin. “But this gives us a great amount of space to be able to have vendors.”

A single market day will be hosted each week during the winter months. Two market days will take place during the summer months.

Planning is already in progress for both a fall festival and a holiday market. The City’s annual winter event, Wrap Up Wyoming, will also take place at the Godwin Mercado.

Restoring a previous historic Wyoming event is also under consideration.

“Wyoming historically has had a pretty significant flea market that used to take place on 28th Street,” said Martin. “We’re hoping to bring back a semblance of a flea market that will take place here.”

Intentional connections

A mural installed by the nonprofit, Lions & Rabbits Center for the Arts, will be painted by a local artist on the outer south wall of the Godwin Mercado building.

The north side of the building is equipped with two connecting paths to the surrounding neighborhood, space for outdoor vendors, seating, a play area for children, and a bike repair station.


  • One of the walking paths connecting Godwin Mercado to the adjoining neighborhood (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • A neighborhood connecting walking path and the bike repair station site (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Krashawn Martin talks about the various ways the market space connects to the community (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • A seating area on the north side of Godwin Mercado (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Space for outdoor vendors and community/family gatherings on the north side of Godwin Mercado (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • The north side of Godwin Mercado (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • The Godwin Mercado parking area connects with the Godwin Heights school athletic complex (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

The City’s reconfigured trail network, its proximity to the highway and Silver Line bus route, and the walkable neighborhood location will make the Mercado easily accessible to everyone.

“We’ve tried to be really intentional with some of our neighborhood connectors,” said Martin.

Educational collaborations with local schools and organizations are also in planning stages. The goal is to provide youth with education about fresh foods, fun collaborations with the adjoining Godwin Heights school athletic complex activities, and encouraging entrepreneurial skills by bringing youth in as vendors for a special market day.


Godwin Mercado landscaping is well under way (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)


Martin is cognizant, however, that other local organizations provide much of what the Mercado will offer the community – and she has no intention of reinventing the wheel.

“There are a lot of programs that are doing this work already, so it’s just finding those partnerships and having this be the space that people need for the ideas they already have,” said Martin. “We really want this to be an asset to the neighborhood that’s right here around us.”

Come one, come all!

Godwin Mercado will host a free grand opening event on Saturday, Aug. 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“We are really looking at that as a huge community block party, a gift to the community,” said Martin. “We want to give an opportunity for people to see and feel the space, and see some things that might be [around during] market season.”

Attendees can expect food trucks, local vendors, kids activities, live music, games, a free meal (while supplies last) and more.

Rendering of completed Godwin Mercado (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)

Resource links

The Godwin Mercado full market grand opening is planned for spring of 2026. For updates, sign up for the Godwin Mercado newsletter here.

Interested vendors can sign up to participate weekly or for the entire market season via an online vendor application.

For more information about Godwin Mercado, click here.