French Outdoor Market to Come to Monrovia Nov. 9

The French Market will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 9, on the grounds of St. Luke's Church located at 122 California Avenue and Foothill Boulevard. The free quarterly festival is evolving into a major neighborhood street affair with entertainment, food, art, and antiques. Serenading troubadours and accomplished dancers will round out the entertainment.

Delicate layers of flaky buns, savory bites of creamy cheeses, and indulgent nuggets of sweet treats will satisfy the crowd’s taste for a little piece of Paris. Most importantly, artisan booths will be filled to the brim with both functional and decorative items, including mid-century and re-imagined furniture, inspired sculptures and paintings, reinvented vintage clothing, pre-industrial tools, rare and nostalgic antique books, and many other surprises from around the world. 

Miller & McCabe Shows will be hosting this event, creating and nurturing the sense of community already found in Monrovia but with a Parisian flair. Community residents will find a wondrous place to gather, socialize and purchase quality goods at reasonable prices.

R.A. Grimes of Miller & McCabe Shows explains why he wanted to do a French Market in Monrovia.

“I lived in Paris for about 5 years. I was doing the starving artist thing and I was literally starving at times! When I was between apartment leases, I would have to live at Shakespeare and Company Bookstore,” he said. 

At the time, Grimes had no clue of the history of the world's most famous bookstore. Writers and artists of the "Lost Generation," such as Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, George Antheil and Man Ray spent a great deal of time at Shakespeare and Company. Nicknamed "Stratford-on-Odéon" by James Joyce, he would use it as his office.

In fact, Shakespeare and Company initially published Joyce's book Ulysses in 1922, which was banned in the United States and in the United Kingdom. Subsequent editions of Ulysses were published under the Shakespeare and Company imprint in later years.

“The owner, George Whitman, would let writers stay at the bookstore," Grimes said. "Fortunately for me, I was already working on a book of poetry and this need turned out to be the perfect catalyst to write.”

It may have all seemed like a romantic Henry Milleresque life but for him it was a matter of survival. With accommodations taken care of, Grimes had only a few necessities left to address.

“Eventually I discovered the local French markets. I made my first sale with a pair of jeans," he said.  "It wasn't long before I discovered that I could actually make a real living selling my 'Made in the U.S.A.' goods. I started collecting any item I could from my visits to the United States and then I re-sold them at the French markets for a hefty profit. The French loved American goods and could not get enough them!”

Soon, Grimes started purchasing French goods and selling them at American flea markets.

“Well, now I am trying to merge my two homes by bringing Paris, France to Monrovia, California," he said,...and to be honest, I can't think of a better place to do it!”

For more information on The French Market, visit our webpage, thefrenchmarket.info, or call 626-415-7083.