Saturday Market vendors are about to pack up their booths and move inside for the 15th annual Holiday Market. Nearly 300 vendors will be selling handmade goods in the Lane County Fairgrounds Exhibition Center beginning Nov. 23.
The business owners, most of whom sell at both the Saturday Market and the Holiday Market, will display their best products and focus on selling to the expanded holiday crowd, Saturday Market spokeswoman Kim Still said.
“It’s exciting,” Still said. “The weather becomes challenging, and this is like New Year’s Eve. It’s marking a new thing.”
Unlike the outdoor market, which is only held on Saturdays, the Holiday Market is held Saturday and Sunday from Nov. 23 to Christmas Eve. The holiday event is also open Dec. 21-24 to accommodate last-minute Christmas shoppers, Still said.
Dana and Colleen Bauman make their living off of selling cheesecake and other baked goods at both the Saturday Market and Holiday Market. Opening Dana’s Cheesecake Bakery at the markets 20 years ago has enabled both Dana and Colleen to quit their other jobs and concentrate solely on running their family business, Colleen Bauman said.
“Businesses that start out in the Saturday Market are usually bootstrap businesses,” she said. “There’s very little capital and a lot of hope.”
She said the business is famous for its vanilla cheesecake, which is the biggest seller during the Holiday Market. The pumpkin cheesecake is also a seasonal favorite. Dana makes all of the baked goods sold at the market, she said.
“The products (sold at the Market) are from the heart of the people who made them,” Colleen Bauman said. “Its a personal investment.”
Part of the charm of the Holiday Market is the unique gifts sold there, many of which are sold at both markets, Still said.
Sue Theolass, owner of Lavender Moon, said she is most well-known for the organic catnip mice she sells.
“People can come to the Holiday Market looking for something for Aunt Betsy and find something at my booth or one of my neighbors booths,” she said. “They find that something and think, ‘Aunt Betsy will love this.’”
Theolass also pointed out that the Holiday Market has a completely different atmosphere than its outdoor counterpart.
“Most vendors go all-out to make things special (for the Holiday Market),” she said. “Since we can leave our booths set up, we can put extra care into how they look. Things are just more festive.”
Several vendors, including Theolass, said they see an increase in profits during the holiday event.
“Last year’s Holiday Market was the best selling year I’ve ever had,” said George C. Collingwood, owner of Clayton’s Candies.
Collingwood is best known for his fudge, a product he describes as a “major impulse buy.” He said he also enjoys the unique atmosphere of the Holiday Market.
“The closeness and friendliness of vendors (is unique),” he said. “You see very few grumpy people — most are making more money than ever.”
Anderson, owner of Judyjudy Bags, said there is better business at the Holiday Market because people feel more free to come than they do to the normal Saturday Market. She said she enjoys selling at the market because of the atmosphere.
“I love being able to socialize with the customers at the market,” Anderson said.