Fresh-air shopping

Downtown Brooksville's Saturday market will start anew.

By LOGAN NEILL, Times Staff Writer
Published September 14, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Kevin White | Times (2003)] Kathleen Barnes weaves a chair seat at the market, held the third Saturday of the month.

BROOKSVILLE - For Brooksville Business Alliance president Evelyn Duncan, the success of the monthly Market on Main Street proves that all it takes is a little imagination to breathe life into a sleepy downtown.

For the past five years, Duncan and other downtown merchants have seen the monthly street bazaar attract more and more interest from the public and from vendors wanting to sell products.

"When we began it, we really didn't know what to expect," Duncan said. "But people came out and supported it. It's given them a reason to come downtown for a purpose other than work."

With summer's oppressive heat and humidity abating, the market's organizers are looking forward to a busy fall.

So far, more than 37 vendors have registered for Market on Main Street's kickoff at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Open every third Saturday of the month, except in July and August, the market brings a bustle of activity to downtown Brooksville's normally staid weekend traffic.

For $15, vendors can rent a 10-by-10-foot space to hawk everything from antiques and jewelry to live plants and fresh produce. Though many of the sellers are local, a growing number are coming from outside Hernando County.

The market's success has also helped downtown merchants, several of whom extend their hours on event days, Duncan said.

The market continues to attract high-caliber vendors, she added.

"We're not a flea market," she said. "People who come to browse are often looking for quality things. We encourage vendors to put their best items out."

The Brooksville Business Alliance wants to see the market's appeal go beyond the county's borders. Duncan said the charm of the event coupled with the aesthetics of historic Brooksville offer a unique lure for visitors.

"A lot of people I talk to say they will come to the market and end up making a day of it, especially if the weather is nice," Duncan said. "That, of course, was the idea of starting the market. We wanted to give people a reason to really get to know what Brooksville is all about."

Logan Neill can be reached at lneill@sptimes.com or 352 848-1435.

If you go

Market on Main Street

When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

Where: S Main Street between Broad and Liberty streets in downtown Brooksville.

For information: Visitwww.brooksvillebusiness.com or call 797-9330.

[Last modified September 13, 2007, 19:39:55]