South St. Petersburg is what is considered a food desert, where residents don’t have enough access to nutritional, healthy foods. People like Judith Turner and Ramona Brayboy of Southside Fresh Market are changing that by bringing in fresh and locally-sourced foods to the Melrose-Mercy and Jordan Park neighborhoods. This market joins the South St. Pete Marketplace as another option for the area.
In an interview with Tampa Bay Black-owned publication The Weekly Challenger, Brayboy talked about her experiences at markets when she was younger.
“I always wanted to keep that good energy coming back to the area … because there’s a lot of talented people here, and we want to showcase their art,” she said.
The market soft opened yesterday with live music and vendors like Yummy Wellness Living, Jay’s Jazzy Jewels, Tree Fairy Spirit, Sudz with Sydney,and Moringa Growers’ Co-op. Vendors interested in participating can apply on the market’s homepage under “Apply to be a Vendor”. Fees and rental charges range between $5 for a table rental up to $125 for a sponsorship fee.
“Great opening day!! Thanks to everyone who made it special,” the market posted on Facebook.
Southside Fresh Market has “The Retail Ready Lab” for vendors placing products in retail spaces for the first time. The website says they’ll learn everything including packaging, permits, and getting a UPC.
The market is working on getting customers the option of online ordering to make the shopping experience easier. Until then, Southside Fresh Market is every Sunday 11 a.m-5 p.m. at 2184 9th Ave. S in St Petersburg.
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This article appears in Apr 1-7, 2021.
