The Salamanca Market Community.

Working at home is great, and has some really good points eg going to work in your PJs (if you feel like it), commuting time of 30 seconds, going home for lunch and a load of washing. All good. One of the only downsides to our wool sock making endeavours is the fact that we don’t get out and about (yin/yang) and it’s very easy to go days with out seeing anyone in the flesh except us. That’s why we love the hustle of Hobart's Salamanca Market. Not only is it business, it is also a social thing. Over the years we’ve made many a good friend of the fellow regular (and not so regular) stall holders. At times we see these folk more regularly than family. The feeling of community is a constant for me. I have met some amazing people. Some are like family. Watching children grow up, and friends grow old. Just recently I have benefited from this community spirit, in small but never the less, tangible ways. The other weekend when I had a few teething problems (in the pouring rain) with a new Market Canopy (“Mongrel Sock Kennel”) help came out of the woodwork. My fellow stall holders went out of their way to assist. Same thing again when our car sprang a leak, by the time we got to the market was spewing water every which way. No problem, help was at hand, containers of water given to get us home ok. One even followed us home to see we weren’t caught short. I know these are only small things but having broken down on city streets, with no help offered, people too busy to even notice your difficulty, I appreciate the time/help given to us. I like to think that we do the same, and try to lend a hand/ear when needed, to friends or strangers. I think karma kicks in so you get what you give. Good turns given will come back. One of the things I find myself regularly doing is referring email requests that come to us on the off chance we (being in the Market place) can put buyers in touch with elusive stallholders, who don’t have a web presence. That maybe, we know who it is that makes a certain thingumabob purchased at the Market once upon a time. We do try to put the two together and funnily enough we usually do know the people/product requested. Hopefully what comes around goes around. So……. if your after some thing you purchased at Salamanca Market (especially if it’s warm socks), last week or last year, lost their contact details, feel free to put out feelers, as I said, we’re happy help if we can.