I saw a sign last week for a holiday market at the 5th Street Marina taking place each Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. throughout the winter. I checked it out on Sunday, and my prior assumptions about the state of our local creatives were confirmed.
This time of year for local businesses and crafters is like Masters week for our hotels and restaurants. For many, winter time can make or break their entire year. It’s prime decor- and gift-buying season, and it’s more important to support local artists and crafters this year than any other in recent memory.
Amazon’s senior vice president of global delivery services, John Felton, acknowledged in a blog post on Oct. 25 that there was “talk recently about how supply-chain disruptions will have a major impact on the way customers shop and prepare for the holiday season,” and proceeded to lay out some ways Amazon hoped to combat it, such as beefing up its air cargo and freight networks and eclipsing 260,000 total delivery drivers.
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Even still, Prime’s advertised 2-Day shipping has ballooned to five, six, seven days and sometimes more. Around the holidays, that can be a concern. And to me, it only highlights the two-fold benefit that shopping local provides. It’s more convenient, and it means a lot to our local economy.
The 5th Street Marina holiday market provides an outlet for bakers, painters, crafters and more to present their wares to the public for only a $10 advertising fee, according to the event’s Facebook page.
Different vendors are on-site every week, granting the opportunity for dozens of creatives to share their items or baked goods over the course of the market’s two-month stint by the river.
I spoke to Rebecca D. Rousseau Cano, who was selling all manner of upcycled art.
“I learned about this garbage patch in the ocean, just plastic and trash for miles,” Cano said. “‘What are you gonna do about it,’ you know? So, I started making my art.”
MORE: Uptown Marketplace Has Something for Everyone
Cano had gnomes recycled from liquor bottles and discarded fabric. She had butterflies made out of soda cans and bottles, and stained glass made from shards of glass no longer in use.
However, it wasn’t all positive for Cano. She said where she came from in Norfolk, Va., people were ordering commissions from her and seeking her out in the community. Since moving to Augusta, the reception has cooled.
“You have to start from scratch and it’s hard,” she said.
This market is for people like Cano. Artists who don’t have a platform big enough to sell all on their own or have no presence in a store in town rely on markets and festivals like this and Arts in the Heart to get as many eyes on their products as they may have all year.
It goes along with a theme I’ve tried to highlight over the past few weeks heading into this season. Everything Augustans need can be found right here.
Eric Kinlaw, owner of Bees Knees Coffee & Curios and Hive Bodega, wrote a Facebook post earlier this month pleading with Augustans to try something new and visit his two businesses on 10th Street before he’d be forced to close them.
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“My businesses are failing. They are failing fast because not enough people are coming in for me to pay my staff and expenses. It’s not for lack of trying. What we have re-created is amazing,” Kinlaw wrote. “I haven’t paid myself since the PPP money ran out in the fall of 2020. I pay my staff $12 an hour plus tips. Everyone shares tips. I wish I could pay more. I have always treated my employees with dignity, respect and a living wage, amongst many other acts and help. I’ve always put them first because I know I cannot do it without them. Even though they know we are struggling, they put their heart into everything we do there. If you’re struggling in any way, I see you. Know that others are going through similar things and also care. Be kind to each other as much as you can. I know it’s hard.”
I’ve written about Kinlaw’s businesses before, and he’s one of the many local business owners I have tried to support in my writing and with my own visits. Supporting our local restaurateurs, creators and crafters is essential to continuing to revitalize our downtown and our city as a whole.
I attended Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School for middle and high school and Augusta University for college, so I’ve been able to see the Downtown Augusta area truly evolve into a more vibrant, economically-friendly place over the past few years. My only hope is that Augustans can continue to support our local economy at this crucial time of year. Luckily, there is a prime opportunity coming up this very week.
MORE: Small Business Saturday is Nov. 27
Small Business Saturday, taking place Nov. 27, will see several Downtown Augusta businesses teaming up to provide Augustans with special deals and products all in one concentrated area. It’s a 5th Street Marina-esque opportunity for some of these vendors that need a big push to have a successful year. Multiple business owners participating in this event told me what a huge day it is for them and how impactful it can be heading into the next year.
I ask you to think of our friends and neighbors this holiday season. If you can’t attend yourself, consider telling a friend or sharing one of the businesses’ social media posts to get even a few extra eyes on it. I can tell you it is much appreciated and means more than you think.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Tyler Strong is the Business Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at tyler@theaugustapress.com
