The past few months has seen a lot of pop up bazaars springing up in different parts the state. The Goan looks into why this has become such a hit among people
Looking to spruce up your living space with a hit of quirkiness? Are you the kind who goes crazy over cute stationary? Searching for a fashion accessory that defines the unique you? Hitting the mall or browsing through the many online stores may have been the answer to your problems before, but Goans now have a new avenue where they can shop to their hearts desire. Rather than having to be content with the best of the same old options available at the mall or having to patiently wait for what seems like forever for the delivery guy to hand over your online order, the advent of pop up bazaars has given Goans much to cheer about. Not only do they get a variety of interesting options to choose from but it's also easy on the pocket. Plus having made by local talent, one also gets a unique Goan feel to it in a lot of cases which only makes the purchase all the more special. And the good news is the pop up bazaar culture is definitely here to stay.
“The idea of holding a pop up bazaar came to from the need to have one. I wanted to put up a pop up for just my stall. But then I decided that if I could get a few more people onboard I could use a proper venue. We were looking at having just 20 people but 50 people turned out to be interested! ” says Anushka Rodrigues of Popsicle Inc who along with Karla Faleiro organised the Midsummer Pop-up Bazaar at Margao in early April this year. Encouraged by the response, the duo are now all set to organise yet another one – Merry Mistletoe -a Christmas pop up bazaar on December 11.
“We are looking at making it a biannual thing for now and each time the bazaar will be different with new themes and improvements.”
Bhakthi Hirani and Natasha Parekh were inspired by the Margao exhibition and decided to take this further by lending their own touch to it when they organised the Pop it Up -The Monsoon Flea at Taleigao in June this year. “We loved the idea of providing a platform to entrepreneurs while keeping it fun and casual,” says Hirani, adding that they took back a lot of learning from their first event including people's expectations, crowd management and how to keep their venture unique.The duo are now all set to organise Pop it Up-The Winter Flea on October 9 at Taleigao Community Centre. “This time around as it is a winter flea, the decor , the communication etc is all different. However our basic concept of keeping it fun, engaging and interactive still remains the same,” says Hirani, adding that they are working on making this a seasonal event.
Yet another bazaar to look forward to in the coming months is The Yuletide Bazaar -A Christmas Flea Market, a venture by Jane D'Souza and Blossom Rodrigues. “Last year my friend was looking for a space to sell some homemade Christmas decor. I casually said I could organise a small bazaar in which she could sell her wares. That was on a tiny scale and about 10 people set up,” explains D'Souza. “This year when we looked at organising it again we wanted it to be bigger, better and more fun. It's still going to hold the essence of giving small business owners and homemade stuff a platform to sell their wares.. But there's so much more added. The bazaar will play host to food stalls, entertainment, competitions, a kids area and a photo booth. It's planned around a carnival sort of atmosphere. We even have an online presence by means of a blog which aims to feature every person who takes part in the bazaar.”
Apart from this there will also be workshop spaces at the bazaar so that the general public will get a chance to learn a new skill every hour without leaving the venue, adds D'Souza.
QUOTES
The talent is amazing. Every conceivable kind of product is being produced by Goans and we want to let them shine. Be it carpentry, decor, sweets, arts, performances, food. It's truly breathtaking. But, I feel it's always been popular, like Mapusa market and Panaji fairs. But we always see 'professionals' selling their wares there. I think with the popularity of the pop up bazaar concept more young people are getting the chance to explore their creative side -Jane D'Souza, The Yuletide Bazaar
It's all about the pop. We keep repeating to our stall participants that the entire concept of not having stall barriers is because we want it to work on a community model rather than a office cabin model. Hence we want it to be fun interactive with people helping one another and supporting local business and talent – Bhakti Hirani and Natasha Parekh, Pop it Up, Goa
People like the concept because of it's newness. Moreover people love quirky and unique stuff compared to more commercialised exhibitions. It's also a great place for a family outing or a place where friends can meet and do fun things- Anushka Rodrigues, Popsicle Inc
Pop up bazaars are becoming a hit as here one can get a lot of variety and a wide range of trendy products which otherwise are available only online. Also here at the pop ups one gets to see all the upcoming small brands which we aren't aware of. People are loving it since it is like a one stop place where people can enjoy their shopping, some great music and of course good food after you are tired of shopping- Gauri Chari, Perky Little Things
It has helped me a lot in a way where I can learn what the customer likes and does not and what they are attracted to. Also a pop up bazaar is always held in different locations so it targets various kind of customers. This helps me decide which audience prefers what. People love it because apart from the usual retail stores around, flea markets offer the widest variety of anything under the sun. And it is easy on the pocket. Also the community gets to get together and interact with each other while enjoying the lively atmosphere – Danica da Silva Pereira, YetAnother by Danica
