By HAZEL FIEDLER/Oregon Coast TODAY
Visiting the Lincoln City Sunday Market is so much more than just a shopping experience. A small town packed with local talent puts on its Sunday best at the Lincoln City Cultural Center’s newly renovated plaza.
Sara Reveile became the market manager this summer and says it’s the best market she could have started with.
“Lincoln City has a strong art community and having a marketplace to support those artists is important and special,” she said. “They all have a unique style and each brings something different to the table.”
With a background in farm-to-school, Reveile is committed to giving local farms and small businesses the opportunity to share their products.
“I think it’s important to build a sustainable food system in your local community,” she said, but adding that customers appreciate the beauty and cohesiveness that the Cultural Plaza brings to the market.
“People have told me that this is the most beautiful and peaceful and market experience they’ve had, strolling along the poetry path that gently winds around the center,” Reveile said.
Reveile is excited about the new opportunity to use EBT cards at the market. Customers can stop by the Sunday Market info booth to purchase SNAP tokens, which can be used to buy fresh produce and tasty treats.
What the vendors say
One of the market vendors is Erick Haglund, who runs Blessed Donuts, a mini, Voodoo Donuts-inspired, gluten-free donut cart. Blessed Donuts started just last year but has already become a local favorite.
“I’d always wanted to get into the food truck business,” he said. “I saw a little donut cart while I was traveling and was inspired.”
Both Haglund and his partner eat gluten-free, so he understands the importance of access to delicious gluten-free products.
“We offer a classic donut, cinnamon sugar flavor, made with organic coconut oil,” he said. “It’s a light, delectable treat.”
Haglund is pleased with the customer response he has received, especially because the donuts are prepared on site, making them hot, fresh and ready to enjoy immediately..
“I have 80-year-olds telling me it’s the best donut they’ve ever had,” he said.
Elsewhere in the market, Cassandra Brandt has been an artist for as long as she can remember.
She showcases her talent with an array of handmade goods from ceramic mugs, dishes and jewelry to original watercolor prints and stickers featuring mushrooms, butterflies, snakes, birds and fish.
“My work is inspired by the critters of the Oregon coast,” she said.
Brandt uses a method called Sgraffito in her pottery, painting her vibrant designs before etching in the details. For her prints, she starts with a simple Bic pen, making sketches before going in with paint.
Matt Kuerbis is the owner of HYCH, a hot sauce business that offers “Heat You Can Handle.”
“We make lower-heat hot sauces that the whole family can enjoy,” he said. “We like flavor over flame.”
The sauces include flavors from around the world, including Korean, Thai and Mexican inspired sauce. Customer favorites include the Southern Hot Chicken and Sweet Heat Pineapple sauces.
Kuerbis is proud of the loyal customer base his business has garnered.
“We’ll get orders throughout the year from people all the way across the country who found us through this market.”
Jessa Joehnk will greet you with a friendly “Shello!” and a wave of her rainbow mermaid tail. She creates nature-inspired crochet pieces using original patterns and offers everything from stuffed toys to hair accessories, jewelry and pet-wear.
“Naturally, as a mermaid, many of my pieces are inspired by the ocean,” she said, “but I also love to garden, so plants and insects also show up in my work.”
Joehnk has loved the response she’s received from every age group.
“My favorite is when older people fall in love with my octopuses,” Joehnk said. “I love when people are delighted and excited to see the things that I make.”
Joehnk believes in the power of markets like this one.
“This is where you get to see the small businesses in your community,” she said. “When you visit, you get to surround yourself with the color and culture that local vendors have to offer.”
- The Lincoln City Sunday Market runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday through Oct. 13 at the Lincoln City Cultural Center, 540 N.E. Hwy. 101. For more information, go to www.lincolncitysundaymarket.org.
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