by Karen Meyer
My father suggested I look into taking a stall at the new Red Hill market after I had arrived home from two years of traveling overseas.
On the first Saturday in November, 1975, I parked my Mazda Bongo van amongst a few other stallholders along the dirt track by the oval and, with the help of my parents, set up my first stall. I had spent $18 on ingredients and, using all wholesome foods, had made muesli cookies, curried vegie pies, salad sandwiches, cheesecakes and hummus. Displaying a few clothes I had also made we sat and waited. I came home with $15, a cheesecake I had destroyed from sitting on it and the experience of enjoyment from meeting other stallholders and locals.
At the December market I doubled the takings and my father, with a money-making gleam in his eye, did some calculating and declared that the market looked promising. My father supported me at every market until his death in 1978, while my mother has been my constant market companion for the twenty years, taking over for a while around the birth of my daughter in 1979.
Marli was very much a market baby, learning to walk, talk, sell and shop at the Red Hill Market. She is even a little addicted to the early morning adventure of setting up the stall in the dark then buying a hot chocolate or a plate of hot, luscious mini pancakes. Marli has now taken over making the hummus, which after twenty years I don’t mind in the least!
I love the Red Hill Market for many reasons
- the early morning activity
- the good humor of the stallholders
- the incredible variety of good quality and interesting goods
- my family stall
- the many strong friendships formed
- the friendly market committee
As for those 6am early morning shoppers, they deserve medals!