Market on the Square highlights local businesses

Jun. 26—ASHLAND — A new event came to Broadway Square in downtown Ashland on Saturday.

Market on the Square began its first gathering of local artisans and producers, encouraging people to buy local rather than from "Big Box" stores, to choose home grown and hand crafted over mass produced. Carly Thomas, the director of social media based AKY Mom's Club, said her group is partnering with Visit Ashland to help raise awareness that local consumers have a wealth of goods and services in the Ashland area, and that they don't need to settle for something that is mass produced states away.

Local artist Elias Reynolds was one of the local artisans who set up at the event. "I saw their (AKY Makers) post on Facebook that they were looking for vendors," Reynolds said. "And I thought it would be a good opportunity to get out here and show some support for the community, meet some people, and sell some art. It was also a good opportunity to get some fresh vegetables and some local honey."

"People around here do a lot of cool stuff," Reynolds said. "And I think we need to support that as a community. We really can get everything we need from local people without having to go to a big chain store. and it supports the community as a whole, and the people we know."

"I was invited to participate in the AKY Makers Market," Carly Stout said on Saturday. Stout owns Sage and Root, an ethically sourced houseplant store that is largely online and doesn't have the advantage of having a "brick and mortar" storefront. The lack of physical location, she said, is one reason makers such as herself can benefit from events such as the Makers Market. "I specialize in a lot of 'planet friendly' gifts. "I sell a lot of crystals, sustainable products, planters and, of course, house plants."

"I have been happily surprised," Stout added. "Because you can't be sure how things will go at the first event. But the community has come out and supported it so much. I have sold out so many plants that I will immediately have to go home and place an order — and that is an awesome problem for a small business to have."

Some of her ordering, she said, is directly on her because she personally grows many of the plants she sells. What she doesn't grow she orders from other women owned businesses, she said.

"This is so exciting because people don't even know a lot of these businesses exist," Stout said. "Not everyone has a storefront, but everyone has something to offer. I operate a small greenhouse out of my home and specialize in shipping them. The majority of my customers have been online, but events like this give me the opportunity to sell right here. I put a lot of love and effort into my plants. But I just can't afford a storefront right now. and events like this help me get out in the public."

The AKY Makers Market will be having similar events throughout the summer, and listings of times and how to become a vendor are available on their social media pages.