The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
City Center Market highlights local business
Oneida City Center Committee holds inaugural City Center Market
The inaugural event, held by the Oneida City Center Committee, will continue through August.
ONEIDA, N.Y. » Locals attending the new City Center Market learned there’s more Oneida has to offer than they thought.
“It’s great to showthe local people of Oneida there’s local honey made right here,” Joey Davis said. As the owner of 1041 Fairview Farms, Davis has two apiaries he runs and sells honey, beeswax and more.
Davis said 1041 Fairview Farms is more of a side business than anything and still works a day job in-between taking care of his bees.
Besides just honey, 1041 Fairview Farms makes candles out of beeswax, maple syrup and offers honey bee removal.
Another Oneida local business was Beyond Earth Essentials, owned and operated by Oneida local Devon Ryan and his fiance.
“We started in April of last year. I saw a video on Facebook about how to make your own bath bombs. We made a set of 8 and they came out well,” Ryan said.
Ryan and his fiancewere struck with the idea to start their own local business and brainstormed ideas and looked for ways to include different products that fit what they were going through.
“These are the type of products you need to see and touch and smell before buying, it’s up front and personal,” Ryan said.
Business has been better than expected, Ryan said, and has
taken Beyond Earth Essentials to the Towpath Farmers Market in Canastota and the Franklin Fields Farmers Market in Rome.
“In Rome, we got our name out more. Foot traffic andword of mouth helped,” Ryan said. “Selling our product in Oneida feels great, though. There’s a deeper connection between us and the people we’re selling to, because yousee themmore frequently, whether on the street or in passing.”
Oneida resident Mary Clark had never heard of Beyond EarthEssentials or knew there was going to be a farmersmarket until she saw everything getting set up.
“I was in the park with my kids when I saw them getting set up. I never even heard of Beyond Earth Essentials and I like bath bombs. Knowing there’s a local business right here that sells them, it’s surprising,” Clark said.
Clark said she bought a bath bomb, scented oils and a few more things from Beyond Earth Essentials.
“I’ll be coming here a lot more often,” Clark said.
The City Center Market, sponsored by the Oneida City Center Committee, will run every Thursday from 4-8 p.m. through August. For more information, visit City Center Market’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/OneidaCityCenterMarket