Valentine’s Day can be lonely for some, but the vendors of Downtown Bryan have made sure the local community feels the love this February with the Lovers Market. 

In honor of the day of love, over 40 vendors gathered at the Ice House in Downtown Bryan on Saturday, Feb. 3 to host the Lovers Market. Between all the red and pink cotton candy stands and heart-shaped cake pops, the market was decked out with Valentine’s Day-themed products. 

Electrical engineering junior Lulu Whitson is a veteran of the markets Downtown Bryan puts on. Spending her weekends trying to shop locally, Whitson said this market was one of her favorites. 

“I loved the environment,” Whitson said. “The sense of community and seeing all the cute children running around and collecting stickers always makes my day. The kids got little treat bags and all the vendors would give you a Valentine’s Day sticker when you spent $5 at their booth.” 

Whitson grew up on farmer’s and vintage markets in Spring, and said she always tries to shop local instead of commercial. 

“For me, the quality is better when it’s homemade and local,” Whitson said. “I love being able to support small businesses and I feel like you can tell the products are made with so much time, effort and love.” 

After being dragged out bright and early Saturday morning, community health senior Megan Moeller was not too eager to attend the Lovers Market at first. 

“Honestly I wasn’t too sure what to expect,” Moeller said. “This was one of my first times going to an event like this, but I was pleasantly surprised. My roommate asked me to go with her so [I] went to check it out, and I was most shocked by the wide variety of vendors and booths. There was a booth selling baked treats, another one selling hats and another about IV drip hydration. It was cool because it wasn’t tailored to just one group. There was so much different stuff to check out.”

Moeller said she kept it cool for her first visit, leaving the market with only a pair of sunglasses and a jacket. 

“Next time, I think I will splurge a little more,” Moeller said. “Since I hadn’t planned on spending a lot, I decided to window shop mainly. But next time Downtown Bryan puts on an event like this, I will definitely check it out.” 

Chemical engineer senior Sofia Munoz said she is trying to eat more organically. 

“One of my goals for the new year is to eat locally grown food,” Munoz said. “Although it is more expensive, I feel like it’s so much better for your body, and I like the idea of supporting small businesses.” 

Munoz said the purchase she was most excited about was the honey she bought. 

“I love honey, it is one of my favorite snacks and I hit the jackpot this weekend,” Munoz said. “The owner said it was made from plants at the bottom of a volcano in Mexico, which is super cool. I just feel cleaner and healthier when I buy local.”

Besides the nutritional aspect of the Lovers Market, Munoz said she enjoyed the whole routine of going to the Lovers  Market. 

“This is my Christmas morning,” Munoz said. “I love wholesome mornings like this, where my roommates and I get to hang out and enjoy the nice weather. We get coffee and breakfast and shop around for a while.”