From Family Home to an East Texas Shopping Experience
Hidden away near Gilmer you can find a shopping experience that’s bringing the community together with new and exciting ways each month!
80 Acre Market started in October of 2021, and as the name suggests, the property is 80 acres that owners Josh and Holly Smallwood have turned into a full escape where you can shop, enjoy live music, have a drink, grab a bite, and let the kids play while you relax.
“My favorite part of 80 Acre Market is the people, it’s the relationships that we’re able to build because people want to come back,” said Ashley Nichols, Chief of Staff at 80 Acre Market. “We flip the house every other weekend so it looks different, we have different activities for families and kids. Seeing families walk away with smiles on their faces, they’ve made memories, they’ve shared an experience together.”
The Smallwood family home is now a full on shopping experience where each room hosts the kinds of items you’d expect to use, with clothes, blankets, and pillows in the closets to buy, kitchenware in (you guessed it!) the kitchen, and even to their Bath Barn where you can buy bath bombs, soaps, and candles, many made by the employees. 80 Acre Market makes it where you can shop local and really see what makes Texas shine, with the items switching out every two weeks, from event to event, so that there is always something new to see!
Outside of the home is where you can expect the kids to be enjoying themselves and where you can relax and kick up your feet. Just like the shopping experience, the activities and vendors change between events, though you can always expect their “No Name Food Truck” to serve you brisket parfaits that are absolutely to die for. Past the food trucks, there are other artisan vendors, such as charcuterie boards to try, mocktails to sip, artisan vendors, and ending it all with some live music in the yard to enjoy. Each event features different artists from East Texas, and continues to work to show off all the different talents and skills of East Texans.
“If you come in on Saturday when we open the gates at 10am, you could stay here ‘til the late afternoon and never get bored,” said Nichols. “We are always open to ideas of what the community wants.”
For the young ones, they can expect some free outdoor playtime with the playground, bounce houses, and the good ole fashioned dirt pile. During my own visit, they were able to do canvas painting or bracelet making so they also can bring something home while you spend your time shopping and browsing.
The biggest tip for 80 Acre Market is to always keep checking back for the latest event, the newest wares, and for the seasonal changes that brings a whole new atmosphere to the property every weekend they’re open.
The market is open every other weekend throughout the year.
Click here to see their website and check out which weekends you can enjoy the market
Market Hours
Friday: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Store) | 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM (Grounds)
Sunday: Noon - 6:00 PM
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