Student names have been redacted per their request to not affect future vending prospects at the market. The two vendors interviewed will be regarded as Vendor #1 and Vendor #2.
The Thursday Market has been delayed, and student vendors have been left in the dark. On Jan. 19, the C.A.S. — Campus Auxiliary Services — sent an email to all the Thursday Market vendors, telling them the first Thursday Market of the semester has been pushed back to the opening date of April 4, 2024. This announcement came as a total surprise to all the vendors involved and with no warning. The move was said to be made for “safety concerns” from the possibility of inclement weather. However, this was not previously a concern, as the market has run throughout previous spring semesters with no delay.
The SUNY New Paltz Thursday Market, typically held weekly on Academic Row in front of or inside the Lecture Center, student vendors and business owners alike gathered to sell their products to those passing through from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Products from student-made artwork to clothing and even baked goods have been sold. Students, nonstudents, and clubs all sell their goods at the Market, and the delay has caused major concerns for the vendors, as they were all preparing for the expected opening date.
“The delay in the market makes a bigger impact than what the C.A.S. might think,” said Vendor #1. “Student vendors like me rely on the market for [a] steady income and exposure for our businesses.”
The Market acts as an important platform for many small-business owners and creators to grow their audience and make sales, and many vendors depend on the income they take in at the market. Dealing with the delay, many vendors have a large stock of items waiting to be sold, being that they are not exposed to a consistent and typical student market. This also has made an impact on the vendors income.
“In terms of finances, it is really sad seeing products that I’ve made just kind of sit and like wait,” said Vendor #2. “They’re not seeing the customers that usually see them. Last semester, I made $400 from just one day at the market. This semester [I’ve made] less than $100.”
Besides their initial email, the C.A.S. has yet to respond to the vendors with further information. Currently, the vendor application is still open on the C.A.S website, but many sections of the Campus Market page seem to be outdated and only updated for the Spring 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters.
“Many of us are unsure if we even want to participate in April, and not only that but we all planned our class schedules around being able to do it, and without warning it was taken away from us,” Vendor #1 said. The majority of vendors are full-time students or have jobs outside of the market, so scheduling could be a big issue.
“I did make my whole schedule to not have classes on Thursdays,” noted Vendor #2. “And you know, what, my Tuesday [and] Fridays would probably be a little bit easier if I didn’t have nothing on those Thursdays.”
C.A.S. has been consistently lacking communication with vendors regarding the market, even before the postponement occurred. “I emailed them during winter break, like weeks before that email was sent,” said Vendor #2. “[I was] asking them ‘When’s the first one going to be,’ so I can be prepared for it — to just be ignored and not get an answer.”
Besides the delay of the market being an economic obstacle, it is also a social one. Vendors and customers have not been able to enjoy the friendly interactions and exchanges with the Market not being on campus. The Market brings a great amount of joy to the passersby on Campus, and its absence is an unfortunate and unnecessary occurrence.
“The Thursday market has been my favorite part of my entire New Paltz experience,” said Vendor #2. “I found so many of my closest friends through it, whether it was other vendors or the people who come out to support my art. I gained a great amount of confidence from selling my work, and have been grateful to have it as a source of income as a full-time college student.”
It also teaches the vendors real-world experience, working in a professional and competitive business environment, as opposed to selling goods independently.
“It teaches me how to interact with people [and] it teaches me how to be a good business person in terms of how you set up your work and how you interact with the other vendors,” said Vendor #2. “You make friends with the other vendors because you have each other’s backs.”
The first market date remains April 4, while students and vendors still remain angry and confused.
“It’s upsetting,” said Vendor #2. “I wish there was respect because this has been the biggest part of my career.”