Market Day attracts 'new faces' to Middleboro's downtown
A storefront display peaks the interest of Ethan Taylor, front, and Chase Henault during the first celebration of Middleboro Merchants Market Day on Saturday, Oct. 5. Photos by Anna Milton
Sister Jessica and Christina Samson browse the offerings at Revibed. 
Mary Osborne, a sophomore at Middleboro High School, adds to the day with her music. 
Holmes is all smiles after getting her face painted. 
Aria Holmes takes a peek at her face paint. 
Korey Nolan, owner of Hydrophile Surfcrafts, a company that makes surfboards out of recycled materials, stands next to two of his creations.
A storefront display peaks the interest of Ethan Taylor, front, and Chase Henault during the first celebration of Middleboro Merchants Market Day on Saturday, Oct. 5. Photos by Anna Milton
Sister Jessica and Christina Samson browse the offerings at Revibed.
Mary Osborne, a sophomore at Middleboro High School, adds to the day with her music.
Holmes is all smiles after getting her face painted.
Aria Holmes takes a peek at her face paint.
Korey Nolan, owner of Hydrophile Surfcrafts, a company that makes surfboards out of recycled materials, stands next to two of his creations.
MIDDLEBORO — Those driving through downtown Middleboro on Saturday, Oct. 6 may have had to add a few minutes onto their arrival time to their final destination.
Crowds coming from all over the area to attend the first Middleboro Merchant’s Market Day meant that traffic moved a little more slowly through the town’s intersections.
Sponsored by a coalition of Middleboro businesses, Middleboro Merchants Market Day is a new take on “Krazy Days”, and aims to promote locally-owned establishments, according to event organizer Sandy Cronin.
“Krazy Days” was the annual street fair that was put on in Middleboro for decades.
Evidenced by the commotion on the streets, the first celebration of Market Day was a “success” said Cronin, who owns the home furnishing store Rekindled Home downtown.
Cronin said the foot traffic didn’t stop all day, adding that “it’s been a great turnout.”
She noted that Rekindled Home’s daily sales volume were four to five times greater than what they would normally be this time of year.
A total of 24 businesses from all over town put out displays along sidewalks in the town center.
“We’ve seen all sorts of new faces,” said Alicia Fay, who owns the pop culture-focused retail store Revibed on North Main Street with her husband Andrew.
Fay said Market Day was a great way to “show off what we do” and noted how setting up retail racks outside of stores is a better way of enticing customers into a store than a window display.
Kara Andrews, who recently opened a children’s art studio downtown called Art on the Spot, said events like this “bring people downtown who may not otherwise come.”
Andrews, who operated her business outside of downtown for more than 20 years, noted how much more visibility she’s getting as a result of her new location.
“I’m really sad I didn’t do it sooner,” she said.
Promoting downtown businesses makes Middleboro more of a “go-to” place that draws crowds, which in turn attracts more businesses and creates a positive cycle, Andrews said.
Seven-year-old Aria Holmes concurred. Holmes, who lives in Plymouth, said she likes coming to Middleboro because “there are a lot of places you can go,” and “it’s kind of cheap,” she added.
For sisters Cristina and Jessica Samson, who scored some new rings and a pair of rubber sandals, supporting local businesses is a priority. Instead of buying from retail giants, “it’s better to shop local,” said Jessica.
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