For 25 years, the Pepper Place Farmers Market in Birmingham’s Lakeview District has opened at 7AM sharp, rain or shine.
To make that happen, one of Alabama’s most popular and beloved farmers markets actually begins its workday near midnight — more than 7 hours prior to start time.
That’s what I discovered when Leigh Sloss-Corra and Cathy Sloss Jones gave a presentation about the market this past spring to Birmingham’s Sunrise Rotary Club.
Seeing my surprise at the amount of time and effort it takes to put on the weekly event, Leigh, the Executive Director at the market, invited me to visit the site at 3 separate times on an early Saturday morning: midnight, 3AM and 6AM.
Lakeview is hopping, but the market area is quiet
What’s the old saying? Nothing good ever happens after midnight?
I rarely go out late at night, let alone the early hours of the morning. While driving to Pepper Place a little past midnight, I was astonished to see Lakeview near Los Amigos, Umami and The Mayor was hopping.
It did get quiet the further I drove north toward the railroad tracks. In fact, it was a little bit serene.
When I arrived at Pepper Place, Leigh’s team had started work an hour early, at about 11PM pulling out all the tents and tables — 85 in total.
It was on the side street near Red Cat Coffee where I met up with Reginald Cavers, who was literally directing his folks where to place every item in perfectly aligned rows.
Setting up the market for 24 years
With a great deal of pride, Reginald told me he has been setting up Pepper Place Market for 24 years, missing only the first year it came to town. He told me his group’s job that night was to put out the tents, so the 3AM crew would come by and “pop open” the tents.
He reminisced about the days when there were only 20 farmers and vendors participating in the market.
He also described setting up the tents on gusty nights, with the tents blowing up into the sky and across the parking lots and streets.
Back at 3AM
After the interview with Reginald, I took a quick 3-hour nap then returned to Pepper Place to see Quinton Craig, the other leader of the set-up crew. His job, along with a couple of other guys was the opening of the tents.
According to Leigh, Quinton has been setting up the market almost since day one. He is also one of dozens of entrepreneurs over the years who have used Pepper Place Farmers Market as a launchpad for their own local business.
In addition to working early Saturday mornings at Pepper Place, Quinton owns Blind Dog Biscuit, which got its start at the market. Three years ago, the popular gourmet dog treat company opened its own brick and mortar on 7th Avenue South in Lakeview.
That’s one thing Pepper Place Farmers Market has done over the past 25 years — foster new and exciting local businesses. Here is a sampling of favorites:
In come the fruits, vegetables + artisans at 6AM
After five to six hours of set-up, the farmers and the artisans arrive starting at 5AM to get ready for the 7AM opening.
It was a magical moment to watch the farmers carefully and artfully lay out the fruits and vegetables while the sun was rising.
Perhaps my most wonderful observation was seeing vendors, farmers and artisans young and old working together. Both Birmingham’s and Alabama’s futures are bright.
Pepper Place Farmers Market by the numbers
According to Leigh Sloss-Corra, Pepper Place Farmers Market attracts over 10,000 people every Saturday in peak season, April through September. (The Market is open mid-January through mid December.) The latest economic study said the market generates more than $20 million for Birmingham annually.
It puts money in the pockets of farmers and artisans throughout Alabama.
Leigh summed up why from late Friday evening to early Saturday afternoon, this market matters:
“The beauty and vibrancy of this market are visible every Saturday from 7 to 12 but not everybody knows it’s made possible because of lots of hard work that starts in the middle of the night, and that by 1PM in the afternoon it’s completely gone.
“We’re so proud to have helped make this amazing market happen in Birmingham, every Saturday morning in the open air, rain or shine, for over 25 years. It’s really the hard work, dedication and commitment of a lot of people that has made it a success, made it beloved to our farmers, vendors, shoppers and community.”
