Pop-up market featuring all BIPOC-owned businesses lands in Toronto next month

Black History Month 2025 is right around the corner, and to celebrate, one mall in Toronto is set to host a pop-up market featuring unique goodies from dozens of BIPOC-owned small businesses.

The Trending Table is on the cutting edge in Toronto when it comes to hosting unique vendor markets across the city, and things are only ramping up for them.

Founded by Kana Nagai and Martina Willis, The Trending Table was founded in 2021 with the aim of promoting the city’s small business community, and for the past four years, that’s exactly what they’ve done: taking over venues like Stackt Market, Square One and Scarborough Town Centre with their uniquely curated markets.

“This idea came to life post-pandemic,” Kana and Martina tell blogTO, “it was our mission to connect and narrow the gaps between consumers and small businesses, especially after the continuous lockdowns that were detrimental to most businesses in Canada.”

“There was that yearning for an in-person shopping experience (especially right after the pandemic), and we wanted to create a special community out of it.”

In the years that followed, Kana and Martina proceeded to cement their name across the city, most notably with their HER Markets, which take place several times a year and feature all women-owned businesses vending everything from hot sauce to candles and jewellery.

Another of their more notable exploits are the Black History Month pop-ups they’ve held for the past three years, which highlight all Black and BIPOC-owned businesses, and 2025 is set to be the biggest and best year on that front, too.

Kicking off on Feb. 7 and running until the 9, the first of two Black History Month Markets will be taking up residence at Scarborough Town Centre, where you can explore goods from more than 20 local vendors, amped up by beats from a live DJ to keep the good vibes rolling.

Later in the month, from Feb. 21 to 23, the market will pop up at Square One, featuring not only another crop of local, Black-owned businesses, but a truly unique experiential element to elevate the experience.

“This year, we will be featuring local black artists who will be doing a live painting installation during our pop-up market inside Square One Shopping Centre,” Kana and Martina tell blogTO.

While the team is still in the process of curating their vendor lists for the markets, a few businesses, including Kala Beauty, Aaliyah Jewellery and Shandina Organic, have already been confirmed — just to give you a taste of what’s to come.

You can learn more about The Trending Table and their other upcoming markets by visiting their website or checking out their social media.