Good Living Marketplace draws crowds in Hartsville

On Saturday, residents, visitors and vendors filled Cargill Way for the 13th Good Living Marketplace. Seventy vendors, the market’s biggest number yet, lined the street with their wares.

“The vendors are the heart of the downtown Good Living Marketplace,” said Judi Elvington, executive director of Hartsville Downtown Development Association.

“When we conceived this project a year ago, there were three goals for it: Increase traffic and commerce in the downtown area; provide a fun, family-friendly event for residents and visitors; and to increase tourism,” Mark Legrett chairperson for the economic restructuring committee of HDDA. “And I believe we’ve exceeded the expectations for the event.”

Nancy Myers, a volunteer for the HDDA, has been called the champion behind this whole effort.

“It has provided the City of Hartsville, the citizens, our friends, everyone involved with the Good Living Marketplace … awareness and giving. That’s what a community is about,” said Myers.

Myers said she got the idea for the market from her daughter Angie Strickler, who took her to a similar market in Colorado. Myers took pictures and brought the idea to Elvington, and the Good Living Marketplace was born.

“We look forward to many more years,” said Mayor David McFarland before he cut the market’s birthday cake.

Shirley’s Restaurant, one of the vendors from the beginning, made the birthday cakes in strawberry, chocolate and vanilla.

The Florence Jazz Messengers of Florence and Hartsville played throughout the day. The group even played a jazzy version of Happy Birthday before the cake-cutting ceremony.

“Some come early, get their produce, and they go home. Some come just to socialize, and then they see things, ‘I think I’ll buy this or that,’” said Elvington. “Everybody has a different reason for being here.”

“The market provides more visibility for our organization for people to be aware of who we are and that we’re working together for our community,” said Janie Campbell, a past governor of the Hartsville Pilot Club.

The club held their annual Brain Power Walk to raise funds and awareness of brain-related disordered including birth defects, injuries and Alzheimer’s in conjunction with the market on Saturday. The group has previously worked at the market at the veterans’ table selling memorabilia and taking donations for the Veterans’ Memorial. The Pilots will hold a Veterans Day Celebration 11:11 a.m. Nov. 11 at Burry Park.

The Pilots will also begin selling their Christmas wreaths at next month’s market.

“It’s great PR,” said Jessie Smith, owner of the Midnight Rooster. The business has been at nearly every market since the beginning. “If anything, it’s cheap advertising.”

Some shoppers have a different take.

Shopper Sharon Moon picked through a basket of sweet potatoes at Byrd’s Hardware & Fireplace Shop. She said she attends the market almost every month.

“If you don’t buy it local, it won’t be local,” said Moon. “It won’t be here to buy.”

Others use the market as a way to raise money for various charities from the American Cancer Society to the Darlington County Humane Society.

Surrounded by shelves of small wooden toys, Charles Bartel watches the crowd file by his booth. He carves and paints toys and signs in his free time. He donates all the money to the shelter. He started with the market in November and has donated $700 since December.

Ethel Wynn of Chesterfield’s Faith Ceramics Shop drives to the market to sell her ceramics. Saturday was her fourth month. She says the amount of business is worth the drive.

“The shoppers, without you, [the market] would not go anywhere, so we thank you all,” said McFarland.

The Good Living Marketplace is held the first Saturday of the month, except for holidays. Shoppers can find homemade treats, breads, stamps, novelty items, purses, jewelry, plants, produce, meat, milk, cheeses, books, pins, pets, artwork, guitars, skin care products and more. Local and downtown businesses, the fire department, church groups, the library, Butler Heritage Foundation, Relay for Life fundraisers, Kalmia Gardens, Clemson Master Gardener Association, the Lions Club, cub scouts and bands are among the more than 50 vendors at each event.

For information or to become a vendor, call HDDA at (843) 332-1600