MURRELLS INLET, SC (WBTW) – The Indoor Market at Inlet Square was held on Saturday and served as a place for a record number local artisans to showcase their products.
In total, there were 84 local businesses represented, offering anything from woodwork to jewelry.
The fair was started in December by John and Sonja Hutton. They own My Olive Shack, a store selling artisan olive oil and balsamic vinegar in the Inlet Square Mall.
Sonja says they started it to increase foot traffic in the mall during the holiday season, but things quickly picked up.
“We were just amazed at how the interest was,” Hutton said. “In January, we started the first Saturday of each month, and we quickly went to 60 vendors.”
Since then, the market has expanded to also include the first Sunday of each month. Hutton says the event is getting a lot of support from the community.
“We have some serious shoppers… and it’s awesome,” she said. “It makes our hearts happy to see vendors doing really well and our community just enjoying the scene and getting to socialize with everyone.”
Some of the vendors are doing so well that they’re opening permanently businesses within the mall.
We’ve had at least 5 vendors from our market come and have a permanent store here,” John Hutton said. “We’ve noticed foot traffic improving. It’s happening.”
Sonja Hutton says that she plans on increasing community participation within the market come September by allowing one-time sellers to set up a table.
The Indoor Market at Inlet Square continues Sunday and will be open from 10-4.