CARIBOU, Maine – Local entrepreneurs are hoping that a new downtown market becomes a holiday tradition in Caribou.
On Saturday, eight vendors set up shop in wooden buildings, each eight feet by seven feet, in Caribou’s Downtown Mall. Throughout the day, dozens of shoppers mingled among the vendors booths and chatted as Christmas music played from nearby loudspeakers.
The new market was the vision of S.W. Collins owner Sam Collins after seeing a similar setup during a trip to Europe. S.W. Collins built and donated eight buildings to the city for the market.
Things were already going well for Casey Blackstone of Fort Fairfield three hours into the market, which began at 9 a.m. on Small Business Saturday.
Blackstone showcased the baby blankets and other handmade items she sells through her business Naptime Knots, which she started in 2018 after her second son was born.
“I’m glad Caribou has started something like this. It’s a great way to bring everyone downtown,” Blackstone said.
Into the early afternoon, finding a parking lot within the Downtown Mall and further down Sweden Street proved difficult. Many shoppers took advantage of the market and other activities, including author meet-and-greets at the library and open houses at the fire station and several downtown businesses.
Those who preferred a more Christmas-like traveling experience hopped on the fire department’s “sleigh,” a decorated wagon pulled by a trail groomer, which dropped people off at the market and other businesses.
At the market, Bob and Sherrie LaBlanc of Milford, New Hampshire and Cecile Barlow of Caribou, were eager to start the city’s annual ornament hunt, which involves scouring area businesses to find select ornaments. This year’s hunt lasts until Dec. 21.
Both Barlow and the LeBlancs are Caribou natives.
“It brings new life to the downtown,” Bob LeBlanc said, about the market.
Soon, a brief but windy burst of snow flurries blew over the market, giving many an excuse to duck inside Brambleberry Market, Debbie Sutherland’s store selling country-themed home decor, clothing, greeting cards, books and other gift items.
As shoppers browsed, Sutherland took advantage of the day’s “first quiet moment” when no one was at the register to catch her breath. Though it was still early to tell whether the outdoor market had boosted business overall, she said business was already busier than last year’s Small Business Saturday.
“There have been a lot of new faces, which is nice,” Sutherland said.
Just up the hill from the Downtown Mall on Herschel Street, Lisa Wark also saw more people at Glass With Class, where she holds stained glass workshops and sells work from local artists.
“Twenty people came in to get their ornament cards stamped [for the ornament hunt],” Wark said. “[The market] has brought people who may not have come in before.”
Back at the market, the snow flurries had long cleared up, and sunshine made the early winter air feel slightly less chilly.
The festive spirit brightened the day for shoppers and vendors, including Valerie Waldemarson and Jessica Goodwin, both of Caribou, who sold wood-carved ornaments, earrings and engraved hometown signs as part of their business Create It Up North.
“It would be great if this became a new tradition,” Goodwin said. “I think [the market] brings this homey Christmas feeling.”
Caribou will host three more Christmas markets at the Downtown Mall Dec. 7, 14 and 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
