A new market is rolling into Burleigh this weekend, and it’s got big plans for the neighbourhood. Mojave Markets launches this Saturday, May 23, at Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, introducing visitors to what’s set to be known as the Burleigh Arts Quarter.
Mo’s, the California-inspired creative warehouse on Central Drive, has long been a hub for Burleigh’s more colourful crowd – its founders met at Burning Man, for crying out loud. It’s hosted concerts, live shows, DJ sets, birthdays, weddings, work parties, and a market or two in its day.
But, as coordinator Kara tells us, this weekend’s Mojave Markets is going to bring something entirely new.
“We knew we wanted to do something different,” says Kara, who has been working alongside Mo’s co-founder Kim to bring Mojave to life. “It’s become so expensive to sell at markets and rack sales. I wanted to give everyone an opportunity to sell their clothes a little bit cheaper.”
Their mission was clear: to really support the Gold Coast’s growing obsession with pre-loved clothing, the barrier to entry had to be low. Like, really low. As an introductory rate, while the markets find their feet, stallholders can snap up a rack for just $10. There are also 15 x 3×3 stalls on offer – perfect for those with a larger mix of vintage clothing, art, or handmade goods.
And because parents are amongst the hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis, Mojave Markets will feature a children’s clothing swap. The premise is simple: bring along what your kids have outgrown, take home a few pieces in return.
But Kara is thinking bigger than a single event.
“The vision is to help build a Burleigh Arts Quarter, with Saturday’s launch activating the whole precinct,” she explains. “The live music series Tilt kicks off inside Mo’s from 12pm, Oneway Boulevard – Mo’s on-site creative studio – will open their space for people to wander through, Quest will be open for coffee across the road, and the Spanish Girl will have her food truck there if you’re hungry.
“It’s going to be the kind of day where you turn up for one thing and end up staying for three hours.”
Just as you would at the big shopping centres, the Burleigh Arts Quarter aims to be a one-stop-shop – just one where you’re spending your money locally, rather than with big name brands. It makes sense that Mo’s was the natural home for it.
“If you are someone who goes to Mo’s, you don’t follow the pathway that everyone else does,” says Kara. “You’re happy to do what you’re interested in – it’s a subculture. Everyone’s welcome, and there’s a place for you here.”
The timing feels right, too. Kara is clear-eyed about what’s driving the renewed appetite for pre-loved, and it’s something most Gold Coasters will resonate with.
“It’s a massive swing back against the influencer culture that prevailed for such a long time – haul culture, all of that,” she says. “The general population can’t keep up. Plus, there are the obvious downsides of fast fashion that we’ve all become more aware of.”
Pre-loved, she says, is how you develop real personal style, support local, and get way better quality – a push back against the beige, big-brand basics. It’s also a way to rep the Gold Coast brands we know and love without breaking the bank.
For a first-time market organiser, Kara’s been thrown in the deep end – but that’s kind of the point.
“We want to grow with the market and our sellers,” she says. “Word of mouth has done the heavy lifting so far, with the low price point attracting sellers who’ve always wanted to try markets but weren’t willing to gamble on making their money back.”
With the first market date fast approaching, the goal is simple: give the Gold Coast a place to spend money locally, meet the community where it’s at, and build something that’s genuinely organic.
“We want people to feel like it’s somewhere to go with the whole family,” Kara says.
Mojave Markets kicks off at 10am this Saturday, May 23 at Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, 6/36 Central Drive, Burleigh Heads. Keep an eye on their Instagram for vendor highlights and updates.
