During the holiday season, it is easy to shop Amazon and Walmart from your desk at the office or on your phone while the kids play outside. But when it comes to getting that extra-special gift for that extra-special someone, buying local is worth the effort.
Locally Made Market makes finding unique gifts easy by bringing artists and artisans together for a pop-up shopping experience. The market began in 2016 as the brainchild of Susie Silver with over 10 food and craft vendors and about 250 attendees. As a local resident and artisan, her goal was to bring the Cary community together to appreciate the time, passion, drive and sacrifice artists put into their creations.
“Emotionally, financially, physically — there’s just so much that goes into making that one special thing,” she said.
Three years later, Silver has 45 scheduled vendors and expects over 1,000 guests at The Mayton Inn for this year’s holiday market on Sunday, Dec. 15, complete with carols from Cary High School band members and an expanded set of giveaways.
“I wanted to push, a little bit in a positive way, the boundary of what people in Cary were seeing for options to buy that were local,” Silver said.
Shoppers peruse handmade gifts at the 2018 Locally Made Holiday Market, held at The Mayton Inn in Cary.
And the bi-annual Locally Made Market does just that. Vendors from Cary and beyond will set up booths to display a wide variety of delicious, beautiful and homemade goodies and gifts throughout the hotel.
“As a diverse voice, as an LGBTQ community member, I focus on diversity in my market as much as I can and diverse businesses,” Silver said.
Kayte Price, owner of Smiling Elephant Jewelry Studio is just one of the diverse business owners who will return to this year’s market. While Price has always loved to create, she began selling her earrings and necklaces using new and vintage materials in 2007.
“I think there’s energy from the previous wearer that transmits to the next wearers of the jewelry and I think that part is really important,” she said.
Price meets with tradesmen from all over the world to pick up beads, stones and more for her pieces. Instead of purchasing all-new materials, she chooses sustainability — using everything from 100-year-old glass beads to recycled coral.
“It’s really important to do the smart [thing],” she said.
Price’s favorite part of the market is how people enjoy and appreciate her work enough to come back year after year, a goal for all artisans looking to create a following.
“The community has made the statement that they want this,” Silver said. “And yes, I will hopefully rise to the occasion and work as hard as I can to bring them this event over and over.”
