Merchant Selection Process
Be a Part of the Madison Public Market!
Hello, and thank you for your interest in the Madison Public Market. We are working hard behind the scenes to organize and engage our merchant readiness efforts.
The Madison Public Market will have a variety of vending opportunities for businesses of all sizes when it opens in 2026. From large, restaurant anchor spaces to temporary small booths, the Public Market will support vending opportunities for 130+ businesses every year. The permanent merchants for the Public Market will be selected by the Madison Public Market Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization that will operate the Market. New Merchants will be announced in the Updates section of the website.
The Madison Public Market will have a variety of vending opportunities for businesses of all sizes when it opens in 2026. There are 28 permanent suites in the Main Hall selling fresh and prepared foods and retail, as well as temporary vending opportunities through 10 kiosks in the Main Hall and recurring pop up markets in the TruStage MarketReady Event Hall.
The Madison Public Market is focused on Madison-, Dane County-, and Wisconsin-based businesses and is not accepting interest from national brands/chains/franchises/multi-level-marketing companies.
Permanent Merchant Selection
Interested businesses for the Main Hall will be placed on a waitlist, as we have shifted towards temporary vending opportunities (see below). We will contact you if we have an opportunity for you in the future.
Our goal is to establish a vibrant space for small businesses and create a balanced, complementary mix of products for the Madison Public Market. To achieve this, we execute a multi-step evaluation process:
- Initial Inquiry: Prospective merchants submit a Merchant Interest Form detailing their business concept, product offerings, space requirements, and owner biographies. This step is open to all businesses regardless of their history or scope.
- Screening & Interviews: Submissions are reviewed to identify strong matches. Selected applicants are contacted for additional information and invited for interviews and site tours.
- Formal Application: Candidates moving forward are invited to submit a formal application, which includes detailed financial projections and historical sales revenue.
- Final Review: Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis. Due to the volume of inquiries, all submissions are retained to ensure we identified the best long-term fit for the Market’s remaining core opportunities.
Temporary Vending Opportunities
Weekly Kiosk Program Starting in October
The Madison Public Market will have 10 weekly kiosk spaces available for temporary vending down the main corridor of the Market Hall beginning in October 2026. These consist of a raised 4 foot by 6 foot platform with six lockable storage drawers and electrical access. For the first year, rentals run Wednesday through Sunday for a flat rate of $175. This includes electricity and marketing on our website and social media.
Businesses can choose their own operating hours during this week, though it is encouraged to be present all five days and operate during the core business hours. To ensure everyone has a chance to participate, we may limit the number of times one business may rent a kiosk for the week.
Kiosk Requirements:
- Appropriate Products: Art, handicrafts, locally made shelf-stable goods, and prepackaged foods made in a licensed facility.
- Eligibility: Certificate of Insurance, relevant food licenses (if applicable), and a commitment to share sales data at the end of the week.
- Ineligible: Corporate businesses, service advertising, freshly prepared food, or products in direct competition with Main Hall merchants.
Application will be live by the end of Summer 2026.
Midweek Market at MPM
Starting August 2026, Madison Public Market will host a Midweek Market in the TruStage MarketReady Event Hall on Wednesdays from 4:00-7:00pm. Each market will host up to 32 vendors including farmers and makers.
Application for weekly markets will be available soon.
