On Saturday morning, the downtown streets of Eugene are up and running. At 7 a.m., there are people roaming around, setting up their white tents and organizing their handcrafted items.
At the Saturday Market there are approximately 300 booths containing a variety of handmade items. With practically every kind of craft imaginable, the booth owners talk of the wares they’re selling.
Pottery
Pottery vendor Amy Palatnick has been a part of the Saturday Market since 1993. She started making pottery as an escape from academics and her rigorous life in college. Pottery turned into an instant passion, a passion reflected while studying the philosophical saying, “Follow your bliss,” by Joseph Campbell.
“You just have to do what you want, do what you love in life,” Palatnick said.
Business increased even during the economic depression because people redirected their money from shopping in stores, Palatnick said.
It is also mainly due to “the local support from individuals in the community,” Palatnick said.
Here’s the process of how pottery gets from clay to market:
1. Everything is wheel-thrown
2. The product is fired
3. The pottery is glazed
4. Then the pottery is fired again
Chemistry is an essential tool to know during the process of glazing, and Palatnick uses non-toxic chemicals and mixes her own glazes using raw materials.
Palatnick considers herself a science person and planned on going to medical school, but discarded the idea when she discovered her love for pottery.  
Jewelry
From simple to fancy, many different pieces of jewelry are sold throughout the Saturday Market booths.
Aimee Addison, a handcrafted jewelry designer, started making jewelry as an artistic outlet six years ago.
“Once I began making jewelry, I really enjoyed it and wanted to have my own business,” Addison said.
Although Addison graduated from the University in 1994 with a political science degree, she decided instead to make jewelry for a living.
This year will be Addison’s fifth year selling at the market. You can find her jewelry at her website,
www.wearmejewels.com, at Imagine Gallery on 35 E 8th Ave. and online at www.etsy.com.
“The Saturday Market is a great way to get a business started,” Addison said.
Food
The food is a must-have while visiting the market. The Whole Enchilada will satisfy the taste buds of anyone interested in Mexican cuisine. Owner Yolanda DuMonde has been at the Market for 26 years. She moved from Sonora, Mexico, to the United States 60 years ago and became a U.S. citizen. DuMonde was the first in her family of nine to go to college. DuMonde is a University graduate who studied public administration; however, the political aspect of the career did not appeal to her and she had her job outside of school selling enchiladas, a staple of Mexican cuisine.
DuMonde and has no complaints about the business.
“I go for a healthier outlook on food. I don’t use any oil to re-fry beans and serve whole wheat brown rice,”
DuMonde said.
Here is what’s in a whole enchilada:
1. Two corn tortillas, smothered in a mix of chili sauces
2. Whole grain brown rice and pinto beans
3. Topped with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes and onions
4. Guacamole and spices
Many customers’ favorite dish is The Special: a big burrito, stuffed with quinoa, seasoned sauteed tofu, vegan sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, lettuce and onions.
The first Saturday Market was established in 1970. Getting a booth space is not easy. People attend a jury and are evaluated on their handcrafted items. Everything that is sold must be made by the owner or family member of the booth. People receive their spots on the market based on a point system. Members receive reserved spots once they reach 25 points. Vendors arrive on site at the information booth at 8:30 a.m. to receive a spot. Points are awarded weekly by how many times the vendor has sold at the market.
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