I went to the Bowerbird market to support local Australian small businesses

On the 27th of November 2022 I went to the Bowerbird market on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to support some local Australian creators. The Bowerbird is a well known market showcasing Australian designers and makers held at the Adelaide Showground in my home town of Adelaide, South Australia.

I love to go to the markets and support locals because I get the chance to meet small business owners face to face. No instagram, no Facebook, no technology, no phone call, literally face to face with the owners. They are usually warm, friendly, kind, and passionate people, definitely worth meeting in person.

Cards that I bought from Popcorn Blue Illustrations at the Bowerbird market.

At the Bowerbird market the small business owners travel from far and wide, from Melbourne to rural New South Wales. Predominately the market consists of South Australian businesses but also gives business owners from interstate an opportunity to come along and share their products with us South Aussies.

The Bowerbird market reminds me of the stories my Dad used to tell me of when my family sold their fresh fruit and vegetable cultivated from their farm at the local markets. It reminds me of hard work, determination, and local Aussie spirit. The Australian dream, to have a home amongst the gumtrees with lots of plum trees.

A discovery set of perfume that I bought from the Botonic Enve at the Bowerbird market.

The Bowerbird market provides a moment of exploration. A moment to find a new product. The moment to talk to a passionate small business owner. A moment to make friends. A moment to go out with the family. A moment, well, to go out and about.

I love it that much that myself and my brother Dom have built several ecommerce websites for local market goers such as Elise from The Naked Soap Company, Michelle from Within the Chaos Candle Co, Jo from Pup Hub Cafe, Jen from Bobbies Petcare and many others.

I love the November time slot in particular of the Bowerbird market as it allows me to shop for my Christmas presents from local Aussie producers. Of course, if I go down to Kmart I might find a similar inferior product at a lower price but I am happy to pay a premium for quality and to put it in the pocket of a local small business.

A bottle of Deep Cleansing Oil that I bought from Mark and Yee Studio at the Bowerbird Market.

I am a passionate small business owner myself and nothing brings me more joy than to meet others in similar positions to myself. These people work hard every weekend selling their products and building their brand awareness at the market. It is not instant overnight success like they show in the movies, these business owners sometimes spend years building their product and growing it slowly over time. Innovating. Selling. Learning. Something I quite appreciate.

I must say, when I give a unique gift from a local Australian small business people appreciate it so much more in comparison to a cheap and nasty product from Kmart. Every dollar that I spend at Kmart goes into the pockets of the big corporations while every dollar I spend at a local market goes into the pocket of a local. I know which one I would rather.

I suggest to any one that reads this to go out and support a local small business. A beautiful sunny afternoon buying handcrafted products and supporting small business owners with the family sounds better than the grim fluorescent light shopping experience with cheap break-as-soon-as-you-get-home Chinese made goods from a local Big W or Kmart.

A card that I bought from Artomobile at the Bowerbird market.

I loved the Bowerbird market for its variety, its quality, its location, and its size. It is definitely one of the most well organised markets I have attended!

It does not just stop at the Bowerbird market, heaps of local markets occur here in Adelaide. Ebenezer Night Markets, Market4You, Gilles at the Grounds and the Stirling Market just to name a few.

BRING ON THE LOCALS! ✊

P.S. Hats off to Peggy the director for organising such a fantastic market, I haven not met her before but nearly every stall owner says she is a lovely lady.

Also, Shout out to Sharon from Botanic Enve, Mei from Mark & Yee Studio, Fiona from Artomobile and Sarah from Popcorn Blue who I spoke with and bought products from.