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Jun
Market Review June 27th
By Paul Bullock & Mary Gates
Believe me when I tell you that there is nothing better than an overcast day in the summer while we vendors set up for the Market…and that is exactly what we had! The cloudiness seemed to be a calming factor. It lightened the physical load, and people’s spirits…so we started the Market feeling pretty good!
We first must give a big thanks to Chad Plunket and Charles Adams for coming to our aid. We set up in the CASP area which has become our second home whenever conflicting schedules might happen.
We saw a fast start to the day as our customers had no trouble finding us. Many went straight to our new vendor Chuco’s Burritos. There is nothing better than a freshly prepared breakfast burrito as you stroll the Market. Oh, and while you are at it, stop by Texas Cowboy Kool Aid for a great selection of cold icy drinks to wash down your burrito.
Now that you are fed and ready, checkout all the great produce that we offer. Sunburst Farms, Faith To Farm and Block 20 are working hard and suppling corn, peaches, tomatoes, squash, onions, okra, cucumbers, and all types of homemade salsas and jellies. Our farmers are getting it done!
Our baker Noah of Emerald House Pastry Parlor was on board with his sour dough breads and famous brownies, macarons, and thumb print cookies.
Our Market supports the SNAP program, which doubles your dollars. Our helpful staff will guide you through the process. Get here early for the best selections when redeeming your SNAP benefits.
Now that we have our food baskets full, please feel free to shop around and see all the wonderful gift ideas provided by our artisans. Purses and bags made out of recycled fabric are Angela’s forte, while Paige is making wonderful healing ointments made with tallow. The Punk Junk table features brilliant repurposed metal pieces welded into beautiful art figures. Memorable Magnet Company can help you with personalized magnets or business advertising. We hope you will stop in and support these small business owners.
We were pleased to have guests from Nebraska, and a Tech student from Rwanda. We love having new faces in the Market crowd.
We are happy also to bring back our Kids Corner Kids Events. The Kids Korner is sponsored by Claro Dental. Bring the little ones and have some fun!
Make a note, because next Saturday, July 4th we will have a free watermelon bar, and the return of Mandujano Brothers Produce. They will be bringing Pecos County Watermelons and Cantaloupes! I personally can’t wait to have Pecos cantaloupes…they are the best! You’ve got to have watermelons and cantaloupes….it’s summertime!
Our Market encourages dog owners to bring your pets with you and let them experience the scene. We always award one dog the title of Tornado Industrial/Arts Dog of the Day and send them off with a beautiful Red Bandana. We were happy to crown Daisy Dog of the Day.
Next week we will return to our normal spot at LHUCA in the Plaza where you will find friendly faces in a relaxed, no hurry atmosphere. Our area is easy to traverse with solid concrete surfaces for our family strollers and wheelchair customers. Our indoor bathrooms are kept clean and secure.
We will be open for business on the morning of July 4th. We invite you to bring your out of town visitors to start the celebration off with a visit to our Downtown Market. We are located in the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts Plaza. Our street location is 5th and Ave. J. Our Hours are from 9:00 to 1:00 every Saturday. So stop by and see what we have to offer!