Spring has sprung into action, and it’s not just the flowers blooming. The Local at Lake Walk has sprung for the season featuring 12 weeks of vendors bringing their handmade creations to the community.
Located across from the Stella Hotel and by Lake Atlas, The Local is what one might call a mini farmers market highlighting artisans, not
only within Bryan-College Station, but also Dallas, Austin and Houston.
I love a good tote bag, especially one that is free, and The Local hands out free bags for the small price of scanning a QR code and giving their Facebook page a “like.” The bag comes in handy for all the goodies may purchase.
The goodies at The Local aren’t your typical farmers market fruit and veggies. There is a specific requirement you have to meet to be a vendor.
“The vendors have to make their own products,” Alysha Noorani, the market manager for Lake Walk said. “Each vendor is unique in their own way and their product is different. We have some vendors making their own salsa while others make lavender soap with lavender straight from their fields.”
With over 50 vendors, it is run by Lake Walk and has been bringing the Bryan-College Station community together since 2017. Not only are dogs welcome, there are multiple vendors who create dog accessories, such as handmade bandanas and treats, according to their website.
If you get hungry, The Local also hosts food trucks each week featuring local cuisine.
Walking from tent to tent is an experience in itself as each vendor differs vastly from the last. My weakness is salsa, and sure enough, there was a salsa tent. Having almost passed it up, the vendor made sure to let me know I was making a grave mistake by not tasting his homemade salsa — he was absolutely right. I
took a bite of his ‘perfect hot’ salsa and into my tote bag it went.
A fan favorite at The Local is the lemonade stand. While lemonade may seem mundane, this tent has seemed to master the art of lemons, water and sugar because there is almost always a line.
While The Local is a great place to advertise small business within the area, it also fosters community.
“It’s a community family-like environment that is hard to leave,” Noorani said. “We have vendors that have been with us from the beginning as well as new vendors each season. Our vendors get really close with each other as well. Two of our vendors from different cities met here at The Local and now go to conventions and events together.”
The Local lives up to its name, with making guests feel like a local even if they don’t live here. It also welcomes friends, family and visitors from all around.
The Local strives to create an experience different and unique for shoppers, while also creating an environment where relationships and small businesses grow, according to its website.
If you have a small business and make handmade products, you can visit The Local’s website and send in an application to become a vendor.
The Local springs into action
April 29, 2022
Photo by Courtesy of Hope Dobson
Every Tuesday in the spring, The Local markets sets up along Lake Bryan offering artisan booths, activities and food trucks.
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