Just outside the 42nd Annual Old Washington Street Festival on the corner of Madison Avenue and Jackson Street, the Muncie Growers and Makers Market took place.
The Growers and Makers Market enters its third year of existence in Muncie. Every Saturday from May through October, the Growers and Makers Market set up shop outside of Books and Brews in the White River Plaza from 4-7 p.m.. Doth Danner, who is the Market Master, stated she was influenced by Hartford City.
“They have one and it’s funny they did it first because I was a vendor for a couple of years and Jim Ferguson is their Market Master,” Danner said. “I was so impressed by the way he ran that and it was open to both food and art and crafts. I talked to him a lot and he mentored me. Now, we do it in Muncie.”
From these markets, three of Muncie’s small businesses started as vendors. These businesses include Queer Chocolatier, Muncie Map Company and Candy and Treasure Chest. But these markets are more than just for small businesses.
“Our goal, not to just provide small business entrepreneurs a place to do things,” Danner said. “But also to give the Muncie community a place to get high-quality food.”
High-quality food like homemade pies. Susan Danner is known to people as “The Pie Lady.” Every Saturday at the Grows and Makers Market, Susan bakes 50 pies to sell.
“I usually come close to selling out,” Susan said. “What I don’t sell out, we donate it to the Soup Kitchen of Muncie.”
One of the favorite pies people buy are her pecan pies, which is an old fashion recipe her mother used to use. Susan said her pecan pies are unique by the sweetness, compared to other fruit pies.
Another vendor at the Muncie Grows and Makers Market is Melissa. Melissa is the owner of Queen Honey Bee Creations and sells jellies, jams and pickles. Melissa said she has been apart of the Muncie Grows and Makers Market for two years.
“It keeps building every year and we’re back for the second year,” Melissa said. “We’re hoping to be back next year.”
The next Muncie Growers and Makers Market happens at 4 p.m. on Oct. 6 at White River Plaza in front of Books and Brews.
Videolicious link: https://dashboard.videolicious.com/watch/cjxxQ69WAXNp
Patrick Murphy 