GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — The Fulton Street Market was alive with culture and commerce Tuesday night as the venue hosted its BIPOC Night Market. It gives entrepreneurs who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color an opportunity to showcase their products and services for the community.
Among the businesses in the crowd is Azucar Avenue. Azucar is Spanish for "sugar" and you'll find plenty of sweetness at this business, owned by Lauren Osborne.
"I do chocolate-covered strawberries, cocoa bombs, homemade Rice Krispie treats, pretzels, cake pops, cheesecake parfaits. Pretty much anything that can be dipped in chocolate, I do," Osborne said.
She says the cake pops and the Rice Krispie treats are her personal favorites, and her best sellers.
"The cocoa bombs are pretty good during the fall season, because I do a variety of flavors. But yeah, those are those are probably the big heavy hitters - or my chocolate covered pretzels with Fruity Pebble topping," she said.
Some business owners we talked to at the BIPOC Night Market say setting up shop during traditional farmers market days can be hit or miss. But they say this is an occasion where they do particularly well because the people coming to the market are coming specifically to support BIPOC business owners.
For Osborne, the best part about events like this is they give business owners a chance to meet potential new customers.
"The networking and the exposure is the biggest thing because even if you don't sell, you're still going to meet a lot of great people who may use you in the future for events, whether it be big or small," she said.
During the main season, the Fulton Street Market is open Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Their next event will be "ART! at the Market" on Sunday, Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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