Jozi POP Market, by: CE Gordon

Neighbourhood markets are one of the excellent by-products that have spun-off from the organic goods trend since it hit suburban South Africa. I’ve been to a few myself, most notably Hathersage Market in Somerset West and the ever popular Old Biscuit Mill Market in Woodstock, Cape Town and the obligatory NeighbourGoods and Farmers Markets in downtown Johannesburg and Fourways respectively. Good times for the whole family but not so much if you’re keen on socializing in said atmosphere without mom and dad milling about.

Logo by: Bergen Nielson

Cue new kid on the block ‘Jozi POP Market’, billed as ‘a social space where Popzibitors interact with their community by showcasing and selling their work’. Faith Star-Ling, founder and organizer, shares about what makes Jozi POP Market different from where we’ve already been.

Faith Star-Ling

Hi Faith. Thanks for taking the time to chat. You’re in the process of launching your brainchild, how different will Jozi POP Market be from most of the markets the South African suburbanite have experienced?

Thanks for chatting to us Charlie. The idea came about when I questioned what creatives were doing with their skill outside of the normal 9-to-5 day as I work in advertising. The idea has since developed into the Jozi POP Market. Every aspect of our market has to hit a certain mark and “POP” (hence the ‘POP’ in Jozi POP Market). We’re setting the standards very high, offering an interactive experience which I envisage as “busy candy theatre”. Our market runs from 2pm to 1am and the evening ends off with a banging party, great food and more importantly making new friends in a novel way (you’ll have to visit the market to find out what ‘novel’ means exactly).

You’ve settled on a killer venue and a rather unusual time slot, who are you aiming at getting in through the door?

The venue we have overlooks downtown Johannesburg and makes you feel like you’re connecting with its raw and beautiful urban energy. It’s the heart of young Jozi and when you connect with the market space, you connect with this energy. I see aspiring creatives, artists, designers, musicians, illustrators, chefs etc. visiting our market and taking inspiration from it and those looking to suspend their inhibitions in a friendly and stimulating environment.

Tell us about some of the goods you’ll be exhibiting?

We have a lot of talented people showcasing their work/skill/product on a micro scale and would like to afford similar entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with a client base. I get inspired by most of the Popzibitors’ work I’ve seen and what really excites me is the possibility that it could do the same for someone else. We need more people in the streets and urban spaces talking with each other and getting to know one another instead of the constant barrage of negativity engulfing our perceptions of the city.

Bergen Nielson, drummer in the dreamy and hottest emerging act out of SA ‘Bye Beneco’ designed your logo. Care to share how that came about?

Bergen and I work together in advertising but we’re also good friends. We got to chatting about the market and he offered to do the logo for us. Charlie, you of course brought the visual aesthetic of the flyers together and the work has turned out to be exactly what we were aiming for. Kudos to you both!

It’s great that you’re presenting a space for young Jozi to exhibit their entrepreneurship, to connect and socialize. Having the stars align and Jozi POP Market pops off, where to from there?

We are looking at building on what we currently have with the possibility of expanding to other parts of South Africa.

You’re in the process of soliciting appropriate vendors to partner with, so with your permission, shall I post up you’re pop-tastic flyers?

Sure! We’re always on the look-out for fresh new POPzibitors.

Jozi POP Market, Flyer 1

Jozi POP Market, Flyer 2

Thanks Faith and I must say I’m excited to see what’s shaping up to be a great initiative take off!

Thanks to you Charlie. Hope to see all of Jozi at our inaugural market. Keep an eye open for updates on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jozipopmarket

To get your fingers talking and your mouth watering, Faith was kind enough to share a few images (below) of Jozi POP Market in its planning stage. Share and Like, and be sure not to get stuck in the queue getting in!