See how Joddo of Bitter Ends took advantage of the Bloomfield Saturday Market:
When we had to close Bitter Ends Luncheonette in March, we were surprised but rather optimistic thinking maybe the shutdown would last a month or two and we’d be back at it. Then I was hit with a reality check, realizing it was going to be much longer than that, and realizing what I had growing in the field or in my cooler was going to rot because this pandemic wasn’t going away anytime soon.
I took it day by day. I didn’t drastically change anything at first, just made minor adjustments. I then realized that I needed to figure out where my income was going to come from. May-June was full of waste and realizing that I had to sit down and figure what to do in order to survive. June-July was when I began developing a new business plan.
That has looked like home deliveries, the storefront offering pre ordering and take out, and selling my produce at the Bloomfield Saturday Market.
The market has been my most reliable source of income, and is fun and interesting. Any time I’m there, shoppers are really excited to see what I have to offer. I also think people are interested in seeing the association of what I offer with the menu at the restaurant on Liberty Avenue. Each week that I come back sales get a little better because more and more people remember to buy from me.
The market is high traffic, which is what we’ve been missing on Liberty Avenue during the pandemic. It’s been a really great experience. Shoppers at the market are interested in supporting local, whether you’re a farm or other business – they want to support you. The Bloomfield Saturday Market is unlike any other market in the city, by far the best. It attracts a unique type of shopper and is culturally different from many other markets.
I’d encourage other local businesses to join in on the market. It helps build a larger and new customer base. Shoppers can actually see you, and it really shows you in a different light. It associates your business with a person, which helps humanize your business with a large group of people who are looking for that type of connection.