Helping on a market stall wasn’t something that I’d ever considered having on my list of new things to try. In fact, it’s probably not on many people’s lists of new experiences to have.
However, when the opportunity arose to help a friend, of course I was happy to give her a hand – and it gave me the chance to try something I’d never done before and claim another of my 52 new things in the year.
How Helping On A Market Stall Came About
Each weekend, at the crack of dawn, my friend sets up her market stall.
Placing fresh florentines the size of your hand into pleasing piles; carefully stacking mega meringues tantalisingly topped with treats; arranging ridiculously gooey brownies into appealing displays, and carefully balancing intricate cupcakes onto tiered stands. There’s a lot of time and effort that goes into making the stall look eye-catching and delicious.
Lucy is an incredibly talented baker, making her homemade delights to sell in the centre of York on her stall, Tray Delicious.
Unfortunately, her usual helper was no longer available, leaving Lucy in a bit of a pickle with the busy Christmas period creeping up.
I had a free weekend and was able to offer my assistance. I’d worked in retail many years ago, and hoped I’d remember some of the skills and that I’d be a help rather than a hindrance.
Quick Learning
There were a lot of different bakes on the stall, and I knew it was going to be a tough job remembering what was available – and where it was.
In an attempt to help set-up the stall, and gain some product knowledge at the same time, I volunteered to put the signs out. It wasn’t easy. Whilst some brownies were easier to identify than others, (the distinctive pink and yellow gave the Battenberg away, and the Oreo biscuits were a helpful clue), others involved guesswork – and a lot of requests for help.
Getting Stuck In - Helping On A Market Stall
After a quick lesson in pricing, packaging and how to use the card machines, I was serving.
A steady stream of customers began to stop at the stall. Many of them taking advantage of the four bakes for £10 offer, and deliberating over which scrumptious looking slices to choose.
One of the hard parts for me was reaching everything on the stall. It was laden with delicious delights and took a steady hand not to knock anything over!
It wasn’t very often there was nobody to serve, but during those brief quieter moments, I’d rearrange the stock so that the stall always looked neat and inviting for the next customers.
Meeting The Customers
I really enjoyed interacting with the customers. The card machines often took a while to connect, which gave me an opportunity for a bit of a chat and to find out where people had come from.
Some were local, and regulars of the stall. Others had come from further afield and were spending a weekend in York for the St Nicholas Christmas Market, including a group of American friends, and a family from Norway.
There was a lovely buzz about the place as people were definitely getting into the festive spirit, despite the damp conditions.
Tiring But Fun - Helping On A Market Stall
It was such a great experience to be able to help my friend and get a brief snapshot of what her working weekends are like. It was physically hard work – I’m not used to standing for so many hours straight. Even though I’d layered up and we had a canopy overhead, we were still technically outside and the cold gradually crept in.
Meeting people and seeing their eyes widen at the treats on offer made me feel even prouder of my friend, and really happy that I was able to give her a helping hand.
Being surrounded by so many tempting treats wasn’t easy, but I did buy a few to take home and share with the Other Half. We indulged in them that evening in front of a cosy fire, warming up after the chilly day.
I must have done a fairly good job, as Lucy invited me to help her again on another weekend!
Experiences Don’t Have To Be Extraordinary
One of the things I love about my challenge of trying fifty-two new things a year, is that it leads me to all sorts of unexpected experiences.
New things don’t always have to be extraordinary to be life-affirming. Connecting with people, and engaging with different situations can be simple yet just as enriching.
Want To Try It Yourself?
- This is quite a tough one to replicate, but if you want to give it a go then I’d recommend making friends with people who are already market stall traders.
Cost Of Experience
- Free!
Recommendations
- Layer up. Helping on a market stall usually means you’ll be outdoors, so it’s a good idea to wear lots of layers so you can adjust your temperature.
- Wear good footwear. You’ll be on your feet so make sure your tootsies are comfortable.
- Let people know you’re new. There’s nothing wrong in letting customers know if you’re just starting out and need them to give you a helping hand by pointing out what they want.
- Follow instructions. Listen to the advice of the market stall trader and ask questions as you go.
- Have fun! If you do get to give it a go let me know how you get on.