Playa Market is a community-driven marketplace and retail concept by Playalarga, created to uplift Latino-owned, Queer-owned, and local small businesses through storytelling, commerce, and real-life experiences.
Designed as both an online store and a brick-and-mortar retail space, Playa Market gives small brands more than a moment — it gives them visibility, infrastructure, and long-term support. Every product comes with a story. Every vendor is curated with intention. And every experience is built around community, culture, and connection.
Playa Market isn’t just a place to shop.
It’s a place to discover, support, and belong.
And while Playa Market is new, the idea behind it has been years in the making.
How a Community Became a Marketplace
Playa Market didn’t start as a business idea.
It started as a feeling.
It started backstage at events, during late-night vendor load-outs, and inside conversations with small brands asking, “How do we grow beyond pop-ups?” It started with queer artists, Latino makers, first-generation entrepreneurs, and creatives doing everything right — creating beautiful products, telling meaningful stories — yet still struggling to access consistent opportunities.
After years of producing festivals, pop-ups, and community events across Long Beach and greater Los Angeles, one thing became impossible to ignore: our communities don’t lack talent — we lack access, infrastructure, and long-term support.
Playa Market exists to change that.
“Playa Market is about more than selling products. It’s about creating a system where our people are seen, supported, and celebrated— not just as a store, but a place to belong year-round.”
– Salvador Flores-Trimble, Founder
Why Playa Market Exists
Playa Market was built with intention.
It exists because Latino and Queer businesses deserve more than temporary visibility. It exists because community shouldn’t disappear once the market tents come down. And it exists because representation, storytelling, and economic opportunity should live under the same roof.
This is not about competing with big box retailers or chasing trends. It’s about building something sustainable, collaborative, and rooted in culture — a marketplace designed to work for our communities, not around them.
Playa Market is an extension of the Playalarga ecosystem and the natural evolution of what we’ve always done: uplift culture, create access, and build community-first spaces.
Two Ways to Experience Playa Market
Playa Market lives in two worlds — online and in real life — and each one plays a different but connected role
The Online Store
The Playa Market online store will feature a curated selection of Latino-owned, Queer-owned, and community-rooted brands. This isn’t endless scrolling or algorithm-driven shopping. It’s intentional discovery.
What to expect:
- A thoughtfully curated marketplace with no duplicated product categories
- Vendor spotlights and editorial storytelling
- Seasonal collections and limited product drops
- A way to support small businesses year-round
- Online ordering with local pickup at the retail store
This is shopping with context — where you know who you’re supporting and why it matters.
The Playa Market Retail Store
The Playa Market retail store is where everything comes to life.
This is not a traditional shop. It’s a rotating, immersive, multi-vendor experience, with vendors switching every few months so every visit feels fresh and intentional. We handle staffing, sales, and operations — allowing vendors to focus on creating.
What you’ll experience:
- A curated in-person marketplace featuring rotating vendors
- No repeated product categories — every brand gets room to shine
- Monthly events, workshops, and product launches
- A space to touch, try, and experience products in real life
- Online order pickup for added convenience
- A community hub, not just a store
Every detail is designed to make shopping feel personal, joyful, and community-centered.
Spring Wonderland: Our First Theme
We’re launching Playa Market with Spring Wonderland — a season inspired by renewal, color, creativity, and growth.
Expect florals, playful textures, vibrant energy, and a fresh-start vibe that mirrors exactly what Playa Market represents. Spring Wonderland sets the tone for what’s to come: every season will bring a new theme, new vendors, and a completely new experience. No two visits will ever feel the same.
Opening this February in the heart of the Broadway Corridor in Long Beach.
Built With Community at the Center
Playa Market is not just for vendors — it’s for the entire community.
For the shoppers who want to spend their dollars with intention.
For the artists who deserve a platform.
For the neighbors who want spaces that reflect who we really are.
This is about building something sustainable, collaborative, and rooted in culture — something that grows with the community, not on the backs of it.
“Playa Market is our love letter to the community & vendors that have supported Playalarga from day one. This is us putting that love into action.” – Salvador Flores-Trimble
We can’t wait to open the doors — online and in person — and welcome you into this next chapter.
This is Playa Market.
Community-powered. Story-driven. Built with purpose.
Be Part of the Next Chapter
Playa Market is just getting started — and we want you with us. Whether you’re a shopper who believes in supporting Latino and Queer-owned small businesses, or a vendor ready to grow within a community-first marketplace, this next chapter is being built together. We invite you to register for updates, stay connected, and be the first to hear about store openings, seasonal themes, events, and vendor drops. If you’re a creator, maker, or small business owner, we encourage you to apply to become a Playa Market vendor and join a curated, supportive ecosystem designed to help your brand shine. Every sign-up, every application, and every shared moment helps strengthen our communities and keep this vision moving forward. This isn’t just a launch — it’s an invitation to grow, create, and support one another.
