Auburn Vintage Market Shut Down Just Hours After Opening

AUBURN, Ala. (EETV) – An anticipated community event, the Auburn Vintage Market, was abruptly shut down by university officials on Friday, April 4. Although the market was scheduled to run until 4 p.m., it was terminated just 30 minutes after opening due to permit issues, as confirmed by university staff.

The market, hosted on the Haley Concourse, was designed to showcase approximately 30 vendors selling vintage clothing, accessories, and more. Shoppers arrived eagerly to explore the eclectic offerings, but the mood shifted when campus authorities began asking vendors to pack up their booths.

Gabby Paddick, a vendor from Recycled Bling, stated, “From what we understand, the market got shut down because we didn’t have the correct permits. It’s really unfortunate.” Paddick and her team drove from Charlotte, North Carolina, and had paid between $100 to $300 to secure their vendor spots.

“We feel very sad about the event getting shut down. We were really looking forward to exploring Auburn and tapping into a new market — we’ve never been to Alabama before,” Paddick said. Many vendors shared her disappointment, voicing that they had invested time, energy, and resources into participating in the market.

Another vendor, who chose to remain anonymous, added, “I think it’s pretty dumb — all the students love what’s going on here. I haven’t had any bad complaints, other than from the staff members here.” This sentiment was echoed by students attending the market, who expressed frustration at the sudden cancellation.

Freshman Shea Fagan, who purchased a pair of jean shorts and a denim jacket before the market shut down, said, “I think it’s kind of sad and kind of unfair that they’re shutting it down.” Fagan and other students were looking forward to browsing the booths to explore more vintage options.

Event organizer London Plourde was spotted directing vendors to disassemble their displays. His roommate, Ayden Grzybowski, described Plourde’s enthusiasm about the event and the effort behind its planning. “He has been working on this for a while, and he finally got it all approved. Apparently it has to go through a third party, and it didn’t go through that,” Grzybowski said. “Basically, it’s a safety hazard if a fire truck needs to go through here.”

Several students voiced their concern over the inconsistency of campus regulations, noting that other student organizations frequently host events on the Haley Concourse without similar scrutiny.

By 11:15 a.m., university officials were concluding the shutdown, emphasizing safety concerns. Andrea Conti-Elkins, manager of Student Center Reservations, told one vendor, “Right now, like, this is a fire and safety issue. The concourse is completely blocked.”

An Auburn police officer arrived at the site shortly before 11 a.m. to assist. Earlier in the day, Clarence J. C. Stewart, assistant vice president of campus security, issued a statement highlighting the lack of proper event planning and the associated risks. “Although the event appeared on the Auburn University events calendar, it was not submitted or approved through the Campus Event Planning System, which is required for all campus activities,” Stewart said.

Stewart continued, “Upon assessment, multiple safety and compliance concerns were identified. In light of these significant issues, the event had to be discontinued.” He urged event organizers to use the Campus Event Planning System for any future activities on campus.

This incident in ongoing and The Auburn Plainsman will provide further updates as they become available.