By Jonathan Copsey / STAFF

When you think of sneak peaks, there are events that would normally be associated with the term; one that would not typically be thought of is “public market.”

But that’s exactly what happened at Roswell’s Sweet Apple Village last weekend. Over 500 people showed up to view the wares of some of the village’s future tenants.

The Sweet Apple market is the centerpiece of the Village; it will be a Saturday outdoor market with 22 vendors selling their wares and will begin its weekly schedule in June.

KooKoo Bear Kids, Village Slice Pizza, Kumon Learning Centers, Tara Humata Mexican Restaurant and Moops Women’s Clothing are just a few of the tenants who will be moving in when the stores open up and attended the sneak peak market, with tents set up for the curious guests.

The Village has been marketed as something a little new in the area, placing a heavy focus on open space and a community feeling. A central pavilion dominates the complex, whose unique design has been supported by the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces, an advocacy group promoting and supporting outdoor markets.

With Sweet Apple Elementary School across the street and the thousands of houses within easy walking distance of the shops, the organizers and builders hope that the shops at the Village will be used more for community activities than just shopping; the proverbial “destination.” Even their groundbreaking last year was not typical – they held a “tree planting” to symbolize the desire of the builders, Cornerstone Development, to maintain an environmentally friendly series of shops and restaurants. As if they needed to go further, there is also a rainwater collection system and on-site well to limit the amount of water used in the buildings and on irrigation.

The first shops will be open for business by the end of April with restaurants opening in May and June.

The Sweet Apple Village is located at the corner of Hardscrabble Road and Etris Road in Roswell. For news and updates, visit www.sweetapplevillage.com.