Tuesday Market

Some of you might be wondering what is up with Tuesday Market. Saturday Market artisans have been co-selling with farmers down there for about a decade and a half, me for only a couple of years. It has been somewhat frustrating that the farmers didn't promote it, and it wasn't very well attended by those so necessary customers, but it is a sweet little market downtown in the summer and we love it. Some people also sell Thursdays, but I don't know much about that, since I don't.

This year in their need for growth they let us know that we might be displaced by their own vendors, though they did say they valued the relationship with us and the synergy. We like reserving spaces rather than waiting to choose space after they are all in at 9:00 am, because it takes awhile to get set up and we are such hard workers.

So we showed up this week for the first one, ready to be flexible and do whatever worked. There were about six farmers, who did take up most of the shady spaces, but the area we have reserved in the past was all still open, so we set up much the same way we did two years ago. (Last year they tried moving over to the East Park Block, but moved back to the West one this year.)

But while we were waiting we had a meeting, about twenty or twenty-five of us, mostly ones who had sold before, but a couple of new people too. We held a straw poll and determined that we felt that we had the critical mass to move ourselves over to the East block for the season.

It's a little risky, but the upside is that we now can promote our Tuesday Market, add member and customer services, our own food booths in addition to the food carts, and add entertainment and restrooms and whatever we need to be successful. Since mostly what we need is customers, we will have to do some work in that area, but we can also work to add to our vendor population so that we are a destination of our own.

It felt really heart-warming to act as a cohesive group, and make solid decisions for ourselves, taking back control of our work lives, which is such a dominant core value for artisans. Member-to-member relations with the farmers are great and have always been cooperative and multi-dimensional. We don't have a conflict with the farmers. We understand that their needs are slightly different from our needs. We appreciate the synergy and think this will continue the positive aspects of the relationships and not cause any further problems.

If some farmers want to join us, it's easy. The membership fee enrolls you in our organization, with all the services Saturday Market provides. The Tuesday fee structure is just $5 plus 10% of your sales. We each get an 8x8, but it is possible with all the space available that we can accommodate some larger booths, if some of those used to larger spaces want to cross the street.

If not, that's okay too. We will promote ourselves and the farmers will still accrue the benefits of our vitality, as we benefit from theirs. It will be an expansion and an improvement. We have lots of artisans who can't get space on Saturdays who can work with us on Tuesday to get the needed experience and cash to keep going. I myself find it an important supplement to my income and a good routine for my week. If anyone has any questions, come down and meet us before nine on next Tuesday and see for yourself, or of course call the office. It will be great! See you there.