Speaker 0 00:00:00 Good morning, Fort McMurry, wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. You've tuned into the Mac city morning show. I'm your host, Elliot Pierre, and we're going to start it off the same way we start every show off. Thank you very much for tuning in. I know that you could be spending your time a million different ways. So the fact that you choosing to spend it with us really is heartwarming and means the world to me. So thank you. Now on that note, Tanner hit him with,
Speaker 1 00:00:26 Oh, she caught me, loves near listen to the next then.
Speaker 0 00:00:34 All right. And we're back. Okay. Today's going to be a banger of an episode. I'm really excited about talking to this lady. She does some really cool things in town and helps out a lot of home businesses. And I think he's doing something pretty, uh, an out of the box idea and keeps it going and is able to just keep jumping over adversity. So as per usual, I do not introduce my guests. I let them introduce themselves. So on that note, how are you doing? Can you please introduce yourself to the world, tell them who you are and what you're about.
Speaker 2 00:01:03 I'm Deb Baxter and I'm the manager market manager for Y M M or Ben farmer's market,
Speaker 0 00:01:10 The urban farmers market sweet,
Speaker 2 00:01:13 Or just getting going as a farmer's market. And we're going to be indoor year round, right? Until we break at Christmas. So this is making history in Fort McMurray because we'd never had a year round indoor market.
Speaker 0 00:01:27 Right, right. That is awesome. That is really cool. So the thing about the indoor market that you're doing and the urban market, which I think is just amazing, it's a great concept because we have so many businesses in Fort MacMurray that are actually home-based. So this gives them an opportunity to actually have a physical location that they can be in. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:01:51 Over 60% of the businesses in Fort McMurray are home-based right. Yeah. That's crazy. And COVID has really created a lot of new ones and the economy. Um, yeah. So we're there, we just have an amazing list of vendors are to sounds to just you name it. There's things that I've never even seen or heard of before that people are coming up with. So it's really exciting.
Speaker 0 00:02:16 So, um, the urban market, isn't new to Fort McMurray. Um, they've had a number of them throughout the years, like at spot different locations, nothing year round. So I definitely want to talk about that. But as far as location is concerned, where are you guys located now?
Speaker 2 00:02:30 Back in the old warehouse on Fraser Avenue. And Dunvegan had leased it for a year. It's just a couple doors down from town hall, 81, 24 Fraser Avenue. Um, there's now a big sign up there on the outside of the building. So we've got that up yesterday. So people will spot that and know where we're at, but you can come in from the well, from the front right now while COVID is happening in summertime. We'll open up the back doors to the alley.
Speaker 0 00:02:54 Um, yeah. Cool.
Speaker 2 00:02:57 And it's all been redone because it was flooded and they pretty much gutted it, leveled the floors, put in some windows, heating, led, lighting, wheelchair, accessible bathrooms. It's cool. And then they built a, some stalls. So we have permanent, we have one side is all permanent vendors. Okay. Yeah. So, and the other side is non permanent. So we'll have people that can't commit to every weekend or just want to come now. And then, and that's that's aside for them.
Speaker 0 00:03:26 So these are weekend events though. It'll be year round every weekend,
Speaker 2 00:03:29 Every Saturday and Sunday from 10 to four, right through, till we break at Christmas time. Wow. And we may add a couple more days in, in the summertime, like a long weekend or something we'll have, right. Extend it and have, um, food trucks and outside and maybe some entertainment. And that's
Speaker 0 00:03:47 Super exciting. Wow. I was not ready for that.
Speaker 2 00:03:51 Well, Fort McMurray is ready for it. We've been hearing it for a long time that people have been asking and they're just so excited. So we have a coffee roaster. Okay. She ordered, and she's been doing it out of her home with a small roaster. And now she's got a big one, came in all the way from Turkey and she's going to be seven days a week, roasting coffee. So people she'll be open seven days a week.
Speaker 0 00:04:13 Wow. So people want
Speaker 2 00:04:15 To come down. Then there's a Baker right beside her. So they can come down and get a cinnamon bun or a muffin, breads, cookies, whatever. And they'll be able to come in seven days a week and purchase that's phenomenal. That's phenomenal. So five days a week, any vendors that are permanently set up in there can be open. Okay. Yep. All right. So they came by the rubs and that's, they can work whatever hours they want.
Speaker 0 00:04:37 Great. Okay. So the facility is opened all week long, but the market is only on the fry or the Saturday and Sunday.
Speaker 2 00:04:47 Yes. Yep. And only specific. I won't say all the vendors that are permanent will be open all the time because some of them do have jobs. That's right. You know, I swear. But, um,
Speaker 0 00:04:56 It's still really cool. Good for you. So to say you're busy as an understatement
Speaker 2 00:05:01 And doing it by myself with the help of my husband. So yeah. It's a lot of work organized. Yes. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:05:11 Uh, he, uh, I don't wanna, I don't know how young the, um, audiences on this show, but he's one of Santas helpers.
Speaker 2 00:05:20 It's not to call us in every once
Speaker 0 00:05:21 In a while. And he helps out where he needs to
Speaker 2 00:05:24 Help out. Yeah. He did that. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:05:26 He's a riot. What, like, he's, he's got some stories behind him. He does. Yeah. So, um, when we first met last year, uh, you have some stories too, and that's why I was excited to have you on the show. Um, one of them is, um, when you moved to Fort Memorial, let's hear about your story. Why did you come here?
Speaker 2 00:05:42 Um, well, pretty much, I guess the same reason most people come here was the opportunity. And, um, yeah, we've been over 15 years now and not leaving because we love where we live right on the river downtown, even though we hit the flood. But, um, aside from that, it's just a beautiful spot. Sit down and watch the either boats or snowmobiles going up or down and, and the wildlife is amazing, so right. Love it. And then I've got three grandchildren here too, so yeah. Not anxious to get out of here.
Speaker 0 00:06:14 Right? Yeah. You're a big supporter for McMurry. And I think, uh, you're part of the, uh, the generation, which is really cool. You guys are like, yeah, I'm here for life. Like I'm not, I'm not going anywhere. I know when I grew up here, most of my parents' friends are adults who are older than my parents said, Oh, as soon as I can retire, I'm out. And so now there's this new wave of people saying like, no, I'm not going anywhere. I don't care about retirement. My parents fall into the same boat. They're both retired for years now. And they're like, no, you know, this is home. I like it. My grandkid is here. This is where
Speaker 2 00:06:44 We're going to stay. Yeah. Yeah. So, and that's, it's a nice little town. It is that's right. Got a lot to offer. We could use a few more things, but you know what, in due time we all may get by with what we yeah. Order it or go shop if you can't find it. But there's a lot of, um, and I really noticed it before Christmas that people were doing their Christmas shopping, I guess, partly because of COVID too. And not wanting to order everything online, what they couldn't find in a store or something. There was amazing. Um, great artist descends with Christmas things. It was, I was shocked. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:07:24 No, the Christmas market that you guys had was, it was really, was amazing. The amount of people that came out. And like you said, there's so many different creative people in this community that because they're based out of their home and they might not have the budget to market themselves appropriate online. You never hear about them. So to actually see them in one place definitely makes a difference for them and for the community, because it gives us more options to like, purchase.
Speaker 2 00:07:48 Right. And we think it's doing the year round indoor, um, it's a small venue for a smaller sound that wants to grow once they get their clientele and they get to a point, then they can go off and get a bigger space, but it's a perfect startup for us. Right. Yeah. Cool. Um, so how did you get involved in this? I was doing markets myself and for quite a few years, I did urban market for many years. Um, yeah. And the schools, wherever there was a market, there was a whole bunch of us. We just followed did the home market scene and right. Yeah. But you were always moving from here to here to here, correct. Packing up and in and out, which is a lot of work. So to have people permanent and they get to build their own stall, they can paint, they can do whatever they want to it. Um, one of ours is house of reverie and she built a house and she teaches painting and takes old pieces of furniture and refurbishes them and does lessons and shows people how to, how to paint and refurbish a piece of furniture. So she built a little house and it's got plexiglass windows and a door. And that's her, her booth.
Speaker 0 00:08:56 That's really neat. So from somebody who is participating in markets and moving and going with the caravan now to organizing and running it, coordinating it, how did you get that position where you voluntold? Did you put yourself in it? Like how, how do you find yourself in the role you're in
Speaker 2 00:09:11 When the city decided that they weren't going to do the outside urban market anymore. And the last two summers that it was happening, whether it was just not in our favor, wind and rain, it was just, we had some awful ones. And so they asked me if I would run the urban market, take it over and run it. And, um, that's when I was doing it up that same warehouse. And then we got, I was offered the old day and P car dealership. Right. So we did it there till we were shut down for COVID and of course, then the flood happened. And so I still sell, I still have my own booth and sell product and run it.
Speaker 0 00:09:50 Okay. So let's talk about that. Give a plug to the product that you're selling.
Speaker 2 00:09:54 It's an organic line that a friend of mine makes. So I'm a reseller, but I've been selling her product as long as I've, she's been making it. And, um, yeah, it's beautiful, very reasonable for certified organic. She makes her own essential oils and then puts them there's baby line, facial line, um, pain be gone is our number one. It's a lotion. You just rub it on wherever you have pain or tight muscles. And within seconds, it's just
Speaker 0 00:10:18 Beard. There we go. And so if people wanted to get in contact with you for this, how, how can they find you,
Speaker 2 00:10:24 I guess, coming to the market now, but, uh, they can even Google back to earth and under contacts. They have everybody that sells for them. And I'm the only one in Fort McMurray.
Speaker 0 00:10:34 Okay. So yeah. Very cool. Very cool.
Speaker 2 00:10:38 I have a few products at Rica's too. Yeah. The pain be gone. And the hand sanitizer, she does a beautiful hand sanitizer. Good for your hands and kills everything. So
Speaker 0 00:10:50 Everybody's looking for hand sanitizer nowadays. So that's a good plug if you're out there. Cause I know when you go to the store, you can get hand sanitizer a lot. So go to <inaudible>
Speaker 2 00:10:59 Nice. And it's actually good for your hands. Keep your hands nice and soft instead of doing.
Speaker 0 00:11:04 Yeah. Okay. Cause that's a big thing with hand sanitizer. Now get your hands raw. Basically
Speaker 2 00:11:10 A lot of children I'm getting, hearing it from moms that their kids going to school and they have to wash their hands continuously and using the alcohol hand sanitizer that their hands are just raw. So we have a great healing salve called sweet pea, and you can use it to prevent diaper rash for babies, but it heals any, any soreness it'll help, mild exam of psoriasis. And so kids using that on their hands, um, just heals them right up.
Speaker 0 00:11:37 Very cool. Very cool. So if I'm a vendor who wants to get involved with the urban market, how, how do I get involved?
Speaker 2 00:11:46 You can go to our website. Um, so it's, YMM urban farmers, market.ca you also, um, just message me and that's urban market
[email protected]. Okay. And, um, yeah. Or come to come to the market and yeah, check it out. You can talk to me there, but I have to assume that the booths have some form. You got to pay the bills, the lights, a new flooring. So what, what does it cost usually for a booth permanent, they do a monthly fee and they can be there as much as they want and, and build it, how they want on the non-permanent side, you pay 65 a day and we provide, provide a six foot table and a chair and they decide they want to stay in for the whole weekend. And then they'd go, Oh, okay. I've got lots of enough stock. I want to be in for the next weekend.
Speaker 2 00:12:39 They paid by the Monday. I'll let them leave their stuff set up for the next weekend so they don't have to pack it all home. Cool. And so how many vendors roughly do you have? I hate to ask people numbers to put them on spot. So roughly, roughly just depends. We're not even a hundred percent sure it's going to be in the 30, 32 range. Okay, great. And then more in the summertime. Cause we can open the doors up and extend out, correct. That, um, we do have, um, Dunvegan produce and tropicals is back. Um, there'll be in, we were going to start back up March 13th and 14th. Okay. So not this weekend, but the weekend after. And he's going to be in for that one and probably every weekend. Right through. Yeah. Yeah. So lots of, um, um, produce preserves, things like that. Honey eggs.
Speaker 2 00:13:28 Yeah. Bread. The bread guy. Yeah. He's back. He just he's taken a permanent spot. He just loves it. That's phenomenal. Yeah. There's so many creative people in this community. It blows my mind and it's great that there is a venue for them to actually showcase their, their work and their products. So, and Carly with the coffee, she's going to be doing, taking a barista course and she's going to be doing cappuccinos and lattes and nice. She's got a really nice set up. Okay, cool. Yeah. Okay. Now we're at the part of the show where we kind of put you on the spot a little bit. It's called the Mac city minute. Tanner is going to be asking you five questions, do your best to answer them. I'd love to help you all, but I have no idea what he's going to ask you. So hit her with the Mac CD minute
Speaker 3 00:14:12 Question. Number one. What is your favorite part of going to the market?
Speaker 2 00:14:16 Oh, the people have to say yep. And of course selling product, but I love meeting people. I just, I love talking to people and helping people cause I have products that help people. So I love, love it when I can take somebody's pain away would be probably the biggest thing.
Speaker 3 00:14:33 Question number two. What is the best part of working with small businesses?
Speaker 2 00:14:38 Um, giving them the opportunity to grow and to prosper. Um, uh, there's been lots of vendors that have just started out. Hadn't have never done a market before. I have several even coming up when we start again this time, um, never done markets and I just I'll teach them a little, give them some little tips or things if they, you know, want my advice. Um, but yeah, giving people that, that start don't have to spend thousands of dollars to go out and, and rent their store space. They can just start this way, meet people and just grow.
Speaker 3 00:15:13 Question number three. What is your favorite small business to work with
Speaker 2 00:15:19 Now? That's a bit of a tough one. I've got several, I mean Carly with third Bay coffee definitely is right up there. Um, Michael Mora with micro greens. He's another favorite, uh, Lisa work with, um, she's got a varieties called eclectic beauty, but she's got everything from teas to be the jewelry, uh, leggings. It's got a whole variety of different things and I've been doing markets with her for several years. Um, there's a lot of really nice vendors. Um, Kim coach with East to West metal does signs does has a, just a bang on all the way into people. So a lot of good people to come check out. There's a lot of good vendors. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:16:07 There you go. Question number four. What is one thing you think people overlook about Fort McMurray?
Speaker 2 00:16:16 Um, it was interesting that every once in a while on Facebook, you'll on a women's group. You'll see, um, just moving to town, tell me, you know, give me some hints and things. They, everybody thinks coming in here that it's just so different. Um, but we have so much to offer and not even just Mac Island with that huge spread, but there's just so many things. And the people I find all of us talking at the markets, we say what a neat group of people that we have in Fort McMurray, all ages, all just a whole mix, but everybody's here for pretty much the same reason and everybody just makes it and it I've never seen. And I hear this comment lot, not cliquey, little groups, everybody just there to support and, and help each other. And I love that. I think it's wonderful.
Speaker 3 00:17:07 And your final question, what is, what kind of person can take part in the market?
Speaker 2 00:17:14 Anyone, anyone that has a business? Um, we also offer, uh, non-profits a table. They get that for free. Every market will have a different nonprofit there. Um, people selling tickets to raise money, just you name it. There's all kinds of vendors, but the vendors, just whatever business you have a business you want to get out there and showcase it. We're we're there to help you do that. So, okay. Yeah. I haven't had to turn anyone down other than having too many of the same type and then I just rotate them and trade them, share. Okay. Yeah. Tanner.
Speaker 0 00:17:50 We might have to get a booth down there, buddy. Why not? We might have to be putting some of these Mac city box there
Speaker 2 00:17:56 To yeah. To advertise a business. A lot of people will do that. Yeah. Maybe we should start a booth where everybody gives us free merge
Speaker 0 00:18:03 To talk about on the show. Oh, not
Speaker 2 00:18:05 There. Another thing. And I almost forgot about this. That's a 24 foot high ceiling. So we have wall space in the non-permanent side, we have lots of wall space around we're we're going to let people advertise and it doesn't have to be just vendors. It can be anybody. It can be real estate can be car dealership, whoever wants to advertise and we'll have different sizes. So it makes it affordable. And we're going to have a huge big 70 inch screen, flat screen TV with advertising going right from one to the next.
Speaker 0 00:18:37 Very cool. I love it. No, for years I like the concept of urban markets. There's it's not a new concept. Uh, people have been doing it for years and, and major centers like, uh, Edmonton and Calgary, Vancouver and Calgary. You have like places that are, like you said, year-round indoors that you can go to. There's an amazing one in Granville Island. There is an amazing one that right behind white Avenue. I don't think you've probably gone to that one. So in Edmonton, I love the idea. I love the idea. So, and um, I tried to go to the one when you guys are outside in Jubilee square, but it was during the day, most of the time during the weekday. So
Speaker 2 00:19:16 It was always a Wednesday, 11 to six, the odd Saturday in there, but it was definitely the Wednesdays was their big day
Speaker 0 00:19:23 <inaudible> yeah. So we're at the end of the show. But before we cut you loose, please give a plug one more time for what you're doing, who you are, how can people get in contact with you guys?
Speaker 2 00:19:34 Okay. I'm Bev. Exner the urban market manager and we have now become a farmer's market. So we are called YMM urban farmers market and you can email me urban market
[email protected] or come down to the market. We're opening March 13th, 14th. We'll be open from 10 to four 81, 24 Fraser Avenue. And um, yeah, we'll be there every weekend, right through till we break at Christmas.
Speaker 0 00:20:03 Awesome. Well, listen, you killed it. Thank you very much for coming on the show. You're a natural. You really did. Well. I hope to have you back again and again, please. I do mean it genuinely, anytime you want to come on the show, anytime you have anything to talk about or if you just want to come eat some Italian great baked goods swing by.
Speaker 2 00:20:23 Perfect. Well thank you for the opportunity to promote yeah, the new markets. Happy to do so. Thank you. Thank you.
Speaker 0 00:20:30 So on that note, Fort Macquarie, wood, Buffalo, that's another show in the can. Uh, it's a Mac CD morning show. My name's Ali Pierre. I just want to thank you. Um, and say like from the bottom of my heart, I do appreciate everybody that tunes in to watch. So thank you very much. Hope you're having a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Peace.
Speaker 1 00:20:48 I just dies at death. It's another max. Any morning show done. I thought I was looking at this one. I agree to disagree. No, we're trying. We're trying. No, we're trying to talk about question. You're going to see the footage.
