Delta Market a hit at new location

Delta Market a hit at new location

First effort ASU Mid- South draws a nice crowd

news@theeveningtimes.com

A beautiful blue sky and bustling foot traffic filled the inaugural Delta Market on the ASU Mid-South north campus Tuesday. A dozen businesses set up exhibits and peddled wares to shoppers, college staff, and a sizable group using the college classrooms for training seminars.

The number of participants and shoppers was way up this year over recent efforts held on summer Saturdays in the West Memphis courthouse square and at Worthington Park. The monthly market got off to a good start according to the event coordinator John Auker, Delta Cuisine and Kitchen Incubator Program Director.

“We have a lot of participation for our first ever Delta Market (at ASU Mid-South),” said Auker. “The booth space was free and we had a lot of interest. By doing this on a weekday we aren’t competing with Saturday events in Memphis and get a lot busier traffic on campus than downtown.”

The monthly markets will serve as a link between local entrepreneurs and an industrial kitchen to try recipes, and packaging, with resources and expert consultation to develop an overall business and marketing plans. Innovators come out of the kitchen incubator and have a chance to test the market with their products at the Delta Market.

“We are fortunate to have a the Kitchen Incubator in West Memphis,” said Auker. “There are about 50 of these nation wide.”

Pam Oliver of Revilo Farms on Proctor Road said the monthly market fits her schedule fine. She sold out of big tomatoes in the morning and had only baskets of cherry tomatoes for sale by lunchtime.

“All our tomatoes are grown hydroponically in a green house,” said Oliver.

“We sell tomatoes to St.

Jude. They have 2500 hungry people they serve each

day. I have just enough

extra tomatoes to make one farmers market a month and couldn’t do this every week. The monthly schedule will work out about right for us.”

Entrepreneurs wishing to take a free vendors booth at upcoming monthly Delta Market day may contact John Auker at (870) 733-

By John Rech