Night Market brings new, veteran vendors to Columbia
Whaley Street’s All-Local Farmers’ Market will add Wednesday nights to its schedule this week, offering up a social atmosphere and the wares of various local vendors to Columbia.
“I’ll definitely come as a customer,” Liz McCullar, the owner of Gourmet Magic & Gifts To-Go said, in reference to the market’s new night. “I’m not sure if my product is going to fit in with rest of the products there, but I’m looking forward to coming out as a customer and seeing some of my friends.”
McCullar, who has been a part of the All-Local Farmers’ Market housed at 701 Whaley St. for about a year of its 6-year existence, says the market is good for her business. While she does have business outside the All-Local affair, she says her signature cookies and other baked goods have found a steady following at the market.
“If I change my subset up, I might find that my product may fit in,” McCullar said.
Steven Rich of Perry’s Peanuts, on the other hand, plans on successfully selling his peanuts at the market’s new Wednesday night showing. With the market serving as his family’s sole source of income, Rich says that, alongside the sale of his peanuts, he also expects to do well selling freshly squeezed lemonade and limeade that’s made to order.
The expectations for the Night Market are high, and kicking off this Wednesday at 4 p.m., the market plans on being just as social as the usual Saturday morning market — with a few more festivities.
“It’s not a boring old people market; it’s not for fuddy-duddies,” said Emilie DeFelice, the All-Local Farmers’ Market founder. “People sit there on Saturdays for hours just drinking champagne. Some people come to meet friends and don’t even shop.”
DeFelice expects the same social scene at the Night Market, where pizza, wine, beer and champagne will be served, as well as raw food to take home and cook.
The food truck Bone-In Artisan Barbecue and live jazz music will also add to the market’s nighttime flair. And vendors like City Roots will provide locally grown tomatoes, eggplants and okra.
The Night Market will likely create more jobs, with the Saturday market, upon its original opening, creating between 20 and 30 new positions, according to DeFelice.
There are few restrictions to those participating in the market other than the farmers’ products having to be made or grown in South Carolina. Vendors like Rich of Perry’s Peanuts, who don’t grow their products in South Carolina, have purchased from local farmers, as Perry’s did with strawberries this summer.
The arts and crafts vendors, like Nana, are limited to about 20 percent of the market’s showing. Nana, who stocks handmade, colorful printed bags and totes, doesn’t only sell at Columbia’s All-Local Market, but also sells at other markets, like Camden’s, and is stocked with products from boutiques Bohemian and K.D.’s Treehouse in Columbia, as well as boutiques in Charleston and New York.
The Night Market, bringing a little local charm to Columbia, will run every Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The regular market will still run Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. Both will be held at the Whaley Street location.