Marissa Bowden and Sarah Schoeller announce they are leaving The Village markets in Burleigh

It’s the market that helped spawn the Gold Coast’s cultural and creative scene, but now its founders are moving on. See what will happen

Burleigh Village Markets, Burleigh Heads.

It’s the market that marked the start of a new era for the city … and now it’s on the market.

Born in October 2008, The Village Markets in Burleigh is considered the mother of the Coast’s burgeoning culture of young creatives, with a generation of successful entrepreneurs graduating from the grounds of Burleigh Heads State School.

Co-founder Marissa Bowden, who started the fashion and lifestyle markets with Sarah Schoeller when the pair were made redundant from their marketing jobs during the GFC, said the pair decided to sell their iconic market as they were both ‘ready for new challenges’.

The Village Markets co-founders Sarah Schoeller and Marissa Bowden

While the asking price has not been revealed, Mrs Bowden said they were in no rush to sell TVM, which attracts stallholders across the country and international tourists who plan their trips around stall dates, and would wait for the right person.

“This has been our baby, but it’s 16 years old now. Our own children are growing up so the time seemed right for Sarah and I to let The Village Markets go and to pursue new interests,” said Mrs Bowden.

“But we have a whole community who rely on these markets, and they all love it because of the type of market it is, it’s quality and sustainable, not churn and burn. So we owe it to our community to make sure the owners stay true to that spirit.”

The award-winning co-founders have been recognised multiple times for their work with TVM since it first started with just nine stalls.

With MySpace as their main social media and marketing tool, the pair watched the city grow with the markets, as TVM became the launch pad for brands such as Kivari, which now has eight boutiques across Australia, including Pacific Fair, as well as luxury stockists across the globe. Swim and resort-wear line Peony also started at TVM, with the brand now sold on Net-a-Porter, as well in-store at Harrods in London and Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City.

TVM even gave artist Toni Watson a gig at their 10-year anniversary in 2018, just before she became known as the platinum-selling and award-winning Tones and I.

The Village Markets at Burleigh Heads School has won an award. Marissa Bowden started the markets. Photo: Kit Wise

Mrs Bowden said she was proud of the contribution the markets had made to the city’s culture.

“When we started, Burleigh was so quiet, there were no cool boutiques or bars. If you wanted to meet somewhere nice for a coffee, Madison’s in Broadbeach was about it,” she said.

“We wanted to give the Coast more credit than it was getting. Everyone would say you would never start a creative brand here, we were too tacky … designers were leaving to go to Sydney or Melbourne, but we knew there was so much more to the Coast. We were passionate about our hometown.

“We just decided to create what we wanted to see … and it really took off organically.

“Now TVM is part of a really rich culture and we want to make sure that even though we’re ready to step away, it continues.”

L-R Sarah Schoeller and Marissa Bowden are the brains behind The Village Markets at Burleigh and are finalists in the Cosmopolitan Women of the Year Comp. Picture Mike Batterham

Mrs Bowden said she intended to focus on her creative co-working collaborative space Sun House Studio in Burleigh Heads, while Mrs Schoeller bought family fashion brand Alfie last year.

“TVM was such a beautiful business when our own kids were little,” said Mrs Bowden.

“Now we’re ready for the next challenge, but we’ll make sure our business baby is in good hands before we go.”