The Spring Makers Market at Spencer’s Coffee brought local artists, small businesses and shoppers together for an easygoing Saturday of shopping, conversation and community.
Customers drifted between vendor booths with drinks in hand, stopping to look at pottery, glasswork and other handmade items while friends talked nearby and new visitors wandered in from the street.
Ben Fox-Ezell, beverage director at Spencer’s Coffee and one of the organizers, said the market grew out of a simple idea: make a space for local people who create things by hand.
“I am a potter and a woodworker by trade as well,” Fox-Ezell said. “It’s just good to get the community together with some like-minded people making things with their hands and selling their wares.”
Fox-Ezell said Spencer’s offers something different from a standard market setup because people can grab a coffee, order food or stay for a drink while they browse.
“It’s a good center focal point that everybody is really comfortable with,” Fox-Ezell said.
Vendor Shane Spickard said events like the Spring Makers Market help artists get their work in front of more people, even beyond direct sales.
“If you don’t sell anything, it’s just nice to have eyes on what you’re doing,” Spickard said.
Spickard, a glass artist who sells handmade items and teaches classes, brought barware, bowls and vases to the market. He said his work is heavily influenced by opaque colors and 1970s design.
“Probably the color is what I think I would like for people to remember,” he said.
For shoppers, the market offered a chance not only to buy local goods but also to reconnect with a part of the community some said they had overlooked in the past.
Kyle Woodward said he and his fiancée came after seeing an event that reminded them of similar markets they used to visit in college.
“Now, as an adult, and actually having my own money to come to these things is nice, because I like to support local,” Woodward said.
The event reflected a growing interest in spaces where local artists and small businesses can be seen up close.
Fox-Ezell said the full vendor list showed makers want to be part of that kind of event.
Spencer’s also tied the market to the rest of its business through a raffle, with visitors earning an entry by buying an item such as a coffee or pastry. Fox-Ezell said that arrangement helps encourage people to explore both the market and the cafe.
For those who missed it, Woodward had a simple message: “Definitely try to catch the next one.”
