As a child, Johnathan Dye watched and learned from his grandma how to bake pies. Many years later in 2012, Dye decided to take what his grandma taught him and start a pie business.
“I just got a couple dozen eggs and got started,” he said. “Thankfully, I had a last name that rhymes with pie.” From there, Mr. Dye’s Pies was born.
Dye was one of many local vendors who sold their products to UWM students at the Farmer’s Market in the Union Concourse earlier today.
The Student Association hosted the 3rd farmers market in the Union Concourse earlier today. The market featured a variety of local and student vendors who had the opportunity to promote and sell their unique products.
Mr. Dye’s Pies appears at many farmers markets to get in front of people who are excited about their products; however, UWM’s students are traditionally more receptive of his business and friendlier than other market attendees, Dye said.
Students help promote businesses on social media which increases a local vendor’s exposure, Dye said.
Across the concourse, Martin Mynor stood behind the That Salsa Lady’s booth promoting their salsas, chips, and cheeses to passer-bys.
People gathered around Mynor’s table to inquire about their salsa, cheese, and chips. Mynor couldn’t even request more salsa from his boss without being flocked by more customers who were eager to buy their products.
Mynor started working for That Salsa Lady a year ago after he met the business owners through a landscaping job, one of Mynor’s many side jobs.
Mynor attended all three of the SA-sponsored farmers markets at UWM and has seen how the farmer’s market has grown.
Students filtered through the market on their way to class or visited to diversify their lunch. They weaved between booths and had the chance to speak directly to the people who made the products they were buying.
The Peck School of the Arts academic senator, who represents Peck students in the student senate, arranged for students to entertain shoppers. Organized musicians from guitarists to violinists played throughout the five-hour event.
John McCune, SA’s Vice President of Student Affairs, interacted with students, vendors, and community members who moved through the farmers market that he created.
McCune loves farmers markets. In fact, he said he has a passion for it. McCune attended a couple of farmers markets and loved seeing small, local businesses selling their unique products.
Last summer, McCune got the idea to bring a farmers market to campus for UWM students. The next semester, SA organized their first farmers market in the middle of the Union Concourse.
Students don’t get enough exposure to farmers markets in the Milwaukee area, according to McCune. So McCune brought the farmers market experience right into the middle of student life inside the Union.
“Students are generally bewildered and surprised that we have a farmers market in the middle of the Union Concourse,” he said.
Most vendors are excited to return following their experience. While businesses that specialize in grocery items, who have a specific target market, are harder to convince to participate. Meanwhile, vendors who specialize in “grab-n-go” products have more success with students and are willing to return.
Among the local business owners scattered throughout the concourse, student vendors had the opportunity to share their craft with fellow students. Student-run vendors sold bracelets, organic snacks, and macarons.
While the market has ran for less than a year, it attracted so much interest that SA hosted two markets in the fall and plan to host two more before the end of this spring semester, McCune said. McCune eventually wants to expand the farmers market, but for now, he’s pleased to continue hosting events that students need and enjoy.