Every first Saturday, more than a dozen local entrepreneurs fill one of the vacant shops at Holly Hill Mall, with tables displaying their books, handmade jewelry, candles, skincare, and even baked goods.
The First Saturdays Vendor Market, which began in March at Holly Hill Mall, is the brainchild of Wanda Rawlings and Brandi Moniq, local business owners.
“I have been very pleasantly surprised by the talent – raw talent – of the people who own local businesses in this area,” said Rawlings, a Christian fiction author. “It’s just so amazing the things that people come up with.”
The vendors who set up shop at the market don’t have their own brick-and-mortar storefronts, which is a particular challenge in the Triad area for small businesses, local leaders say.
Locally, the majority of small businesses are considered “microbusinesses or small employer firms” – that is, less than $250,000 annual revenue and four or fewer employees.
Based on the most recent data from the Piedmont Triad Regional Council (PTRC), more than 75% of all registered businesses in Alamance County – nearly 2,500 – report annual revenue of $1 million or less.
An analysis from PTRC states, “Alamance County’s economy is powered by small businesses” and that “Supporting these businesses will remain critical to the county’s long-term economic vitality, job creation, and community development.”
One of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs is finding a place to sell.
“In Alamance County, there is a significant shortage of affordable, appropriately sized, commercial space for entrepreneurs/small business owners and their enterprises,” said Stephanie Williams, director for innovation and entrepreneurship at the Alamance Chamber.
“Many of them are resorting to online distribution channels, pop-up markets, and events,” Williams said, adding that some do purchase buildings for their businesses but lease out any remaining square footage they don’t use.
Holly Hill Mall has been using a similar approach for about a decade and hired Heather Smith as its marketing and event manager in 2017. She’s tasked with thinking “outside the box,” according to Smith, driving business to the mall with events like pop-up markets and craft shows, renting spaces for a day beyond the traditional kiosks or mall carts.
A community of entrepreneurs
The First Saturdays Vendor Market started when Rawlings was looking for a place to host a launch event for the third book in her “A Christian Journey” series last December.
She regularly walks at Holly Hill Mall for exercise, and one day noticed a “For Rent” sign. She called Smith and found the $300 one-day price tag reasonable for her book event.
A few weeks later, Rawlings reached out to Moniq, who used to organize her own vendor markets in her former storefront for Flaunt, Flex, Fla$h, a mobile event service.
“She said, ‘The best thing we can do is just try,’” Rawlings recalls. “So we just jumped in with both feet, and her expertise has definitely been invaluable because I had never done anything like that before.”
While Rawlings’ initial motivation was to secure a consistent, affordable monthly spot to sell her books, it changed when she realized other local entrepreneurs were in the same boat.
Already, the market is helping small business owners who are newer to entrepreneurship – like Kristen Sutherland, owner of EmeraldU Candles.
“I still have a full-time job and a whole life. So, being able to have a storefront is not an option currently,” Sutherland said. She started her business in January and is a repeat vendor at First Saturdays.
“In addition to being a great place to sell product and connect with customers, it’s also a really great place to find support for small businesses,” Sutherland said.
Rawlings said the markets have had between 80 and 100 visitors and up to 19 vendors each month since March.
A similar recurring event at the mall is the Shop & Stroll Market in the parking lot in front of Dunham’s Sports.
“It just helps enhance what we do here, and it helps draw in traffic, which is what we want,” Smith said.
First Saturdays vendors have included EmeraldU Candles, Emilia Butter & Sugar Co., Beaded by Boo, Lasting Florals, Minnie’s Sweets, Pin & Proper, CountryVille, Hemply Made, ChaCha The Creative, and Gubie’s Naturals.
The next First Saturdays Vendor Market is Saturday, June 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Holly Hill Mall. Vendor spots are $50. To reserve a booth, interested vendors can call Brandi Moniq at 301-219-2672 or Wanda Rawlings at 216-681-6182.
Visiting the market is free. Holly Hill Mall is located at 309 Huffman Mill Rd., Unit #300, Burlington, NC 27215.
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