Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Woodstock market a boost for local traders
FASHION and food lovers, fans of all things fabulous, brace yourselves because there’s a new kid on the block. But what makes the Love Local market different is that it’s designed primarily to offer an arena for black and coloured emerging businesses.
It takes place on the last Saturday of every month and kicked off last month at the Greatmore Studios in Woodstock. The next one is today.
“It is all about supporting and exposing new and established local brands, while enjoying a market with a twist,” according to the two behind the concept, Tracey Rose and Mwabi Jere-Motaung.
Rose, born here but raised in Namibia, works as a production manager in the film industry.
“I am also a DJ, vocalist and guitarist and a big jazz lover. Pretty much, I’m a mover and shaker,” she said.
Jere-Motaung is a social media manager, originally from Zambia.
“My passion is the upliftment of black and coloured people. And that’s what we’re hoping to do with this market,” she said.
Jere-Motaung has been in the design and craft industry for three years, working with the Craft and Design Institute.
With their full- time jobs and busy schedules, the pair don’t see each other daily, but they’re always communicating via Facebook. Rose said the idea for the market came after Jere-Motaung invited her to DJ at a market in Harrington Street.
“I mulled the idea for some time, but the light bulb moment came when I looked at the space at the Greatmore Studios.
They have no funding and the costs are coming either from their own pockets or the stallholders involved. But they say they’ve worked to keep the market cheap and accessible.
“Accessibility is what we are all about, and why we primarily focus on black and coloured businesses.”
But they’re not exclusive.
“We look at your product and if it’s of good quality we will consider it. Money isn’t our major aim; we want to make sure that everything on sale is perfect and beautiful.”
But they also want the local residents to benefit and want to include stallholders from the immediate Woodstock area. They also employ locals to watch the cars.
Anyone interested in signing up for a stall should email localloveza@gmail.com. Stalls cost R250 each per day.
Today’s market runs from 3pm to 9 pm and there will be a live performance by Cape Town R& B crooner Valerie Omari, as well as DJ sets from DJ Mava and special guest DJ Ntone Edjabe, founding editor of Chimurenga magazine.
sinolwazi.april@inl.co.za totally