VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Keep an eye out for our Vendor Spotlight feature where we bring you short interviews with our amazing vendors!

This Week: Empanada Gal

Photo of Empanada Gal’s owner, Carmen, baking empanadas in her kitchen!

Keep tabs on them on their website here! Or follow them on Instagram!

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What is your favourite part about selling at farmers markets?
I love being at the Farmers Markets because I get to share my passion within the community!

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting their own small business?
One piece of advice to start your own business is to follow your passion. Challenges can come and go, but if you stick to what you believe in, you can accomplish your goals!

What is your favourite product that you sell and why?
My favourite product is the empanadas! They can be customized in so many ways, including savoury and sweet!

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Thanks, Carmen! We appreciate you joining us this season!

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Keep an eye out for our Vendor Spotlight feature where we bring you short interviews with our amazing vendors!

This Week: Wick Off Candles

Photo of Wick Off’s owner, Caitlan, at her booth.

Keep tabs on them on their website here! Or follow them on Instagram!

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How did your business start?      

I’ve always loved candles and have made them throughout the years. I use to be a massage therapist, and that is where my love of aroma comes from! After a very long night spent with my then 1 year old, I just wanted to tell her to F off! And thats when the name Wick Off Candles came to me! So my motto is Tell them to Wick Off, light that candle and take back a moment for yourself!

What is your favourite product that you sell and why?

My favourite product is my middle finger candle, as it is the ultimate statement piece for those who really need to get their point across! 

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Thanks, Caitlan! We appreciate you joining us this season!

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Keep an eye out for our Vendor Spotlight feature! Every week we are endeavouring to bring you short interview segments from your favourite vendors to help you learn more about them and answer any burning questions you might have!

This Week: Evie + Charlie Bakery

Photo of Evie + Charlie’s owner, Susan, at her booth.

Keep tabs on them on their website here! Or follow them on Instagram!

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How did your business start?      

I worked in healthcare for over 15 years and decided it was time for a change. I went back to pastry school and while I was in school I was so busy but still wanted delicious homemade goodies. That’s where the idea of my cookie doughs started!

How was your business named?

The name of my business is named after my twin daughters.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting their own small business?

Go for it! Do some research about the product/industry you want to get into and talk to other business owners to get some coaching.

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Thanks, Susan and team! We are so excited to have you with us this season!

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Keep an eye out for our Vendor Spotlight feature! Every week we are endeavouring to bring you short interview segments from your favourite vendors to help you learn more about them and answer any burning questions you might have!

This Week: Homemade by Harris

This is the owner of Homemade by Harris – Justina!

Keep tabs on them on their website here! Or follow them on Instagram!

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How did your business start?      

Homemade By Harris launched September 2021. I had been working in the baking industry for years but found I really loved decorating cookies and wanted to focus more on that. It had always been a dream of mine to have my own bakery and with a lot of encouragement from my family and friends I decided it was finally time to go for those dreams!

What is your favourite product that you sell and why?

I love making my decorated sugar cookies because I can turn one recipe into so many different things. Every order is unique and I love all the themes/ideas for cookie sets that my customers bring me. I offer 3 recipes: Classic, Vegan, or a Gluten Free and I’m hoping to add some different flavours to the menu soon!

What is your favourite part about selling at farmers markets?

My favourite thing about being at farmers markets is that I can try out new ideas and techniques for cookies that I may not have been able to do on a custom order yet. And of course meeting all the wonderful customers and other vendors. It’s been a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.

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Thanks, Justina and team! We are so excited to have you with us this season!

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Keep an eye out for our Vendor Spotlight feature! Every week we are endeavouring to bring you short interview segments from your favourite vendors to help you learn more about them and answer any burning questions you might have!

This Week: Brownie Bakers

Keep tabs on them on their website here! Or follow them on Instagram!

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How did your business start?      

The Brownie Bakers started in May 2020. My mom and I had just moved back from Toronto a few months prior and shortly after arriving I was laid off from the job that had relocated me back to Vancouver. I tried looking for a job for a few months but no one was hiring as it was the beginning of the pandemic. I saw a lot of home based bakery accounts pop up on Instagram and noticed that there were a lot of cookie, cake, and bread companies but no brownies. So I started The Brownie Bakers instagram account for fun and to see if anything would come of it.  We started attending farmers markets and doing lots of corporate catering and online orders. In March 2021, we launched our Brownie Mobile (our little trailer) and had an extremely busy summer catering for private events, movie sets, parking in different neighbourhoods across the lower mainland. and farmers markets. Last month we upgraded to a 17’ food truck!

What piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting their own business? 

Go for it! Start small and go from there. If you never try it out, you’ll never know. Secondly, support other small businesses! Make connections and friendships and help each other out. I’ve found countless new contacts, suppliers, and events etc. all from friends I’ve made in the industry. 

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Thanks, Brownie Bakers! We are so excited to have you join us this season!