It only took a couple of years of friendship for Natalie Baxter, Jocelyn Flaherty and Raelle Rivoire to realize they had more in common than being mothers and neighbours who reside in the community of Fireside.
With art-centric entrepreneurial souls in hand, this trio is launching Cochrane’s only year-round market – with plans to host the first event next month.
The Rustic Charm Market is putting a call out to all artisans, creators, crafters, builders, growers and food producers from Cochrane and surrounding areas – this call is also open to those with tiered or multi-leveled marketing businesses.
“We launched our Facebook page three days ago and we already have almost 30 secured vendors,” explained Rivoire on Tuesday evening, owner of The Art Shak, a custom artisan business that has the mother of three taking on all kinds of projects – from custom canvases to props to furniture to paint night socials.
The trio has been working on a business plan for around six months. The preliminary research has revealed hundreds of potential vendors – and a wide enough range of products to appeal to a diverse shopping crowd seeking everything from groceries to gifts and gadgets.
“I think it’s important to bring something back to the community … to bring the rustic charm back to Cochrane,” said Flaherty, with reference to the recent rise of big box stores in town and the decline of small, family-owned businesses.
Flaherty said her arts and theatre background was beginning to feel like a thing of the past – as her career in the insurance business, combined with raising four kids, had become consuming.
For Baxter, it’s a natural progression of what she and Rivoire are already doing.
Baxter’s family and portrait photography business, Whimsical West Photography & Design, has partnered with The Art Shak to add colourful and interesting props to Baxter’s client photography sessions.
“I’m a photographer, so I’ve been wanting to have my own booth,” said Baxter, also a mother of two, who has long been troubled by the commercial rent costs in town.
The Rustic Charm Market plans to have a rotating seat for tiered or multi-leveled marketing businesses – to provide equal opportunity to this segment of the home-based business market.
They aim to have an interactive market that will feature entertainers, youth reporters, esthetic demos and options to also appeal to male shoppers.
With tentative venues flagged, the market organizers said they will confirm their first market location for mid-September as soon as they have a firm number of vendors.
The plan is to host the market monthly and open up twice a month leading up to Christmas.
Full booth pricing is $140/day. Full tables run $80. Shared tables – for vendors who don’t require as much space – will be $60.
The trio will provide free tables for kids who wish to peddle their homemade art projects and crafts.
The initiative is separate from the seasonal Cochrane Farmers’ Market, which runs June through the end of September on Saturdays at the Cochrane Ranche and monthly Thursday night street markets in Historic Downtown.
Learn more on the group’s Facebook page or contact them through [email protected].
