COVID-19 Affects Sales at Local Christmas Market
Picaroons Brewery, on Fredericton’s Northside, hosted the Christmas Night Market. On Nov. 26, local vendors set up booths in hopes of making sales this Christmas season.
With the holidays approaching, people tend to fill the stores with a shopping frenzy. This year, there is less of a frenzy and more of a caution. With a global pandemic sweeping over the holidays, local artists and small businesses take a toll.
The Christmas Night Market proceeded with caution after news released hours before opening, that Fredericton was returning to the orange phase.
The building only allowed 50 customers at a time, causing the rest to wait in the rain. The waiting took close to fifteen minutes, but guest continued to gather from four to seven.
Upon enter, a screening was conducted and contact tracing took place. Customers were informed at the entrance on how to proceed, by following the arrows, limiting one group to a vendor and socially distancing.
“I came to the market tonight because I think it’s important to support local during COVID and everything that’s going on,” said Ellen Brewer, a customer who prefers shopping locally. Despite waiting outside, Brewer is glad that she came out. “It’s been going pretty good.”
Along with shopping, alcohol beverages were being served. Customers could enjoy a drink while sitting in the seating area. While seated, masks were allowed off.
Although guests were enjoying their shopping experience, vendors seen little luck in their sales.
“Sales are really low today. Normally I would have most of this stuff sold,” said Connie Wheaton an artist and owner of House of Art. She enjoys taking her love for art and teaching others. One of the products being sold in her vendor were paint kits. Wheaton helped run the event and felt vendors were not doing as well as they hoped.
“People aren’t touching anything, they’re just kind of looking and feeling rushed because someone’s behind them. All the vendors that I’ve talked to said it’s been a pretty tuff night because everyone is on guard a little bit more,” said Wheaton.
A local chainsaw artist shared on how he had little luck selling his wooden Christmas trees. “I know normally I will sell out of these things within an hour sometimes at a market, you know. Here we are all night long and we’ve still got some left. It defiantly has affected things,” says Joel Palmer.
Palmer usually has no problem selling his products, especially when coming to markets; but feels COVID-19 has effected his sales.”This time of year, I make little Christmas trees that people love,” said palmer. “I think we’re all doing our best here to try and carry on with business.”
Vendors varied from artistic paintings, jewelry, clothing and winter accessories, soaps and bath accessories and Christmas décor.
The market plans on retuning to the brewery on Dec. 6.
“COVID kind of put a halt to everything,” said Wheaton. “It’s sad for people who love markets.”