Will Reed from Native Son Farms packs vegatables for Hannah Rigby at Oxford Market of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., on Tuesday, April 22, 2014. (DM Photo/Cady Herring)
The Oxford City Market reopened Tuesday, Earth Day, for its 2014 spring and summer season. The market is a community marketplace that focuses on locally grown produce and homemade food and products that started last year.
Katie Morrison, the market’s director, said the market’s goal is to provide opportunity for members of the community to access local fruits, vegetables and other food.
“We also created a opportunity for new business opportunities for our vendors, allowing them to start a business without having to buy their own store,” Morrison said.
With a big white tent covering 15 or more vendors each Tuesday, visitors are able to shop for a variety of products such as homemade baked goods, fresh produce and herbal remedies. Many vendors are returning businesses from the previous year of the market, but there are a few that are new this year that have decided to see what the market is all about.
Lizzy Graves, owner of Lizzy’s Creative Kitchen, is one of the vendors that has been able to form her own business through the market with the help of her daughter.
“This is my business, I don’t have a regular location by choice. It allows me to do other things but still be able to have my own business,” Graves said.
Graves and her daughter make all of their baked goods by hand, from cinnamon rolls to Mediterranean focaccia loaves.
Mandi Sanders, co-owner of Sweet Gum Apothecary, is another returning vendor at the market that sells natural products and herbal remedies that appreciates the small community aspect.
Sanders compared the differences between a customer and a store and a customer and the market.
“You get a relationship with the person through this kind of situation that you just can’t get at a big box store,” said Sanders.
According to Sanders the market has really connected with the community.
“Any movement towards local businesses and small operations is a very positive effect on the community,” Sanders said.
Oxford City Market is located at 2650 W Oxford Loop, just off of Jackson Avenue. The market is open every Tuesday from 3-6:30 p.m. For more information about the market or volunteering, visit their website, www.oxfordcitymarket.com.
