The Edison Lot is a new outdoor vendor hub in Sunnyside giving small businesses a place to showcase what they have to offer.
Juan Garza said the goal was to create a place where people can gather, try something new and support small businesses in the community.
Garza, 30, of Sunnyside is the founder of The Edison Lot and owner of Garza's Barbecue, a mobile food truck serving barbecue favorites such as brisket, pulled pork and ribs, smash burgers, macaroni and cheese, baked beans and coleslaw. He started Garza's Barbecue in 2024.
Garza said supporting local entrepreneurs is an important part of the vision for The Edison Lot.
"I'm one of them," he told the Sunnyside Sun, adding that building Garza's Barbecue showed him how much work goes into starting a small business.
"It showed me how much work goes into starting something from nothing," Garza said. "Sometimes all somebody needs is a place to set up, get their product in front of people, and have an opportunity."
Garza said he knows what it feels like to try to build a customer base without a permanent location and hopes to help others in their journey.
"If I can create a place that helps somebody else grow their business, that means a lot to me," he said.
He also said that the support Garza's Barbecue received from the community played a part in the inspiration for The Edison Lot.
"Being a vendor myself gave me the opportunity to meet other small business owners who were looking for the same thing," Garza said, "A consistent location and schedule where they could set up, grow their businesses and build a following."
The Edison Lot held its grand opening on Sept. 19, with local vendors, food, family activities and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Miss Sunnyside Royalty Court and community members joined Garza to celebrate the opening.
Garza said he hopes the space will give small businesses new opportunities while giving families another place to spend time together in Sunnyside.
The Edison Lot is open Saturdays from 1-7 p.m. at 1816 E. Edison Ave. in Sunnyside, near Valley Lanes Bowling & Fun Center.
The following is a Q&A with Garza to learn more about the idea behind The Edison Lot, what he hopes it will become and why he believes spaces like this are important for the community.
Why did you feel Sunnyside needed a space like this?
I felt like Sunnyside needed somewhere that brought people together while also giving small businesses a place to grow.
We have a lot of talented people around here selling food, making things, and starting businesses, but there aren't always consistent places for them to set up.
I wanted to create somewhere families could come out, grab some food, check out different vendors, and just enjoy being together.
What did you see missing in the community that you wanted to address?
Consistency was a big thing for me. We have events here and there, but I wanted a place people could recognize and know something is happening regularly.
Instead of wondering where everyone is going to be that weekend, I want people to eventually hear "The Edison Lot" and already know there are going to be local vendors, food, and people out there.
What do you hope The Edison Lot will change for small businesses?
I hope it gives them another opportunity. I want somebody who might be just starting out to be able to come here, meet customers, and build a following.
Maybe somebody starts with one little table at The Edison Lot, and a couple of years from now they have their own storefront or food truck. I think that would be really cool to see.
Why did you choose to create this as a recurring Saturday gathering rather than simply a one-time vendor event?
Because you can't really build something off one day. I want this to become a routine.
If we stay consistent, vendors can build repeat customers, and the community can know that Saturday is a day they can come down to The Edison Lot.
I'd rather build something week after week than have one big event and then everybody forget about it.
What do you hope it becomes for the community over time?
I want it to become one of those places that feels like it belongs to Sunnyside. Somewhere families come spend an afternoon, people meet up with friends, and local businesses get supported.
Eventually, I'd love for people outside Sunnyside to hear about what's happening here and make the drive over too. I'm starting small, but I definitely have a bigger vision for it.
What personal experience or motivation led you to take the idea from a vision to an actual business?
A lot of it came from my experience with Garza's Barbecue. I've had to go out and find places to set up, promote myself, and build customers one event at a time.
That made me realize there are probably a lot of other people trying to do the exact same thing.
Once I had the opportunity with this property, I thought, why not create the kind of place that I would've wanted when I was starting?
Why was now the right time to make it happen?
I don't think there's ever going to be a perfect time. At some point, you just have to take the chance.
The opportunity with the property came up, my business had already taught me a lot, and I felt like I had enough experience to turn the idea into something real.
There's still a lot I want to do with the lot, but I'd rather start building it now and let it grow than keep waiting for everything to be perfect.
With the people I have on my side and the businesses surrounding the lot stepping up to support the idea, we can all collaborate and grow together.
I don't see a limit to what we can get done when we have that kind of support.
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