Meet Erika Ellsworth | Market Owner & Crafter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erika Ellsworth and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erika, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am born and raised here in San Diego. More specifically, I grew up in Chula Vista; which is why I wanted to start my market adventure here in Chula Vista. My upbringing was around lots of family and in a German folk dance group with friends who became family. This is why a lot of the vendors we have at our market are now like family. I love to be around people and love to talk to people and I know this has a lot to do with how I was raised and what we did as a family growing up. It’s one of the big reasons why I wanted to bring a family friendly market to Chula Vista.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
We aren’t just a market of vendors, we are a market of vendors who are friends and feel like family. Of course starting a market isn’t an easy task in any way, especially when you want to do it weekly or biweekly. We had challenges with weather and locations, but we have that figured out now. There were some other issues we have overcome and the vendors have been there to help and make us a stronger market. Currently we are popping up at two locations which we are super excited about now. The second location is new to us and we can only keep expanding from here. We hope to have one more location coming soon!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oooh this is a fun one! I am a beach girl so definitely need to go to the beach and spend some time checking out the surfers in OB. Then we can go to Hodads and grab a burger for dinner and hang out in the area for the evening. The next day we can head to MB and go ride the Giant Dipper coaster and enjoy the restaurants there and some more sunshine. Then off to Petco Park for some Padres fun! Of course we will need to get some In N Out Animal Style Fries before they head back outta town too!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
A big thanks goes to my parents who are always supportive of the crazy adventures I do in life. They helped me when I started making jewelry back in 2006 and went to my first market. Today they are there helping me setup my display and booth while I am organizing the market and helping other vendors. You’ll even catch them selling my items when I’m unable to be in my booth or handing out the kids scavenger prizes. They are my biggest supporters and my biggest cheerleaders in all that I do. I owe them the world for all that they do for me!

Website: https://linktr.ee/friendshippopup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friendshippopupshop?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086594383790&mibextid=LQQJ4d