T-Street Creative Mart, a vibrant gathering spot for young people in OCT-LOFT, is celebrating its 12th anniversary and 200th edition by holding a review exhibition, art installations and handicraft workshops which started Saturday and runs through today.

A total of 85 gadget designers, collectors and handicraft enthusiasts set up stalls at the renovated north area of OCT-LOFT, showcasing personalized accessories, vintage clothes, paintings, toys, old books, home decorations and handicraft items.

The exhibition adjacent to the stalls introduces 12 past vendors’ stories in the popular bazaar. Visitors who are interested in making handcrafted items can join free workshops to make accessories, purses and tableware.

Launched in 2008, T-Street Creative Mart is a free platform for young designers to create, communicate, exchange and start businesses.

“The atmosphere in OCT-LOFT impresses me because there are many design companies who are influencing my products’ styles,” said Xiong Yi of Simple Leather who joined the T-Street Creative Mart in 2009.

Huang Rihua, a wooden product vendor who joined the mart in 2013, agreed that the mart has helped him grow from a handicraftsman to a designer thanks to some talented people he met here.

Ma Yuping of Dr. Wong, which sells essential oils at the mart, said that every employee in her company should work at Dr. Wong’s stall at the mart to learn communication skills and then position their products according to customers’ feedback. “T-Street Creative Mart is trendy in that it selects vendors who sell the most popular products. In the meantime, it is also a battlefield where vendors have to do their best to survive,” said Ma.

The 200th T-Street Creative Mart opens at 10 a.m.-9 p.m. today. Follow the WeChat account “oct-loft” to get information on future T-Street Creative Mart events.

Venue: North Area, OCT-LOFT, Nanshan District (南山区华侨城创意文化园北区)

Metro: Line 2 to Qiaocheng North Station (侨城北站), Exit B(Cao Zhen)