Sunday 10 March 2019

Heard Under The Sheds - 10/3/2019


A trader has suggested that every trader should have a $300 item in their range. A $300 item will almost certainly attract attention in a traditional market, and if and when it does sell, the impact on sales for the day will obviously be significant. Great advice, but what if you sell socks? - maybe offer a year’s supply?

Are there signs of cracking? If there was a barometer for trader frustration, one trader suggests if may be off the scale right now. Apparently there are reports of anger and even physical altercations over the past week. All sure signs that trade is really tough at the moment.

A customer rocked up to a trader and asked if he could use his stall for a wedding photo shoot that day. Given the disruption that a photo shoot could cause the trader suggested that they would need to ring him for a booking.

A few traders are asking if it is really necessary to have bollards installed on the internal walkways of the Upper Market on Fridays and weekends. With bollards controlling vehicular movement at the top and bottom of each aisle, aren’t the inner bollards just an unnecessary obstacle for pedestrian customers?

From one trader on Sunday - “Such great potential from the weekend’s crowds. If only we could push the button on consumer spending at the same time.”

Trader, Xenia Charalambous (Sonia), has decided to pull down the curtain on her time at QVM. Xenia had few peers in the field of customer service at QVM and her booming laughter could be heard aisles away. Xenia suffered a stroke in 2016 which prevented her from working at the market, and her daughters have been ably carrying on the business. We wish Xenia, Noni, Helen and the team every success for the future. - Kali tychi.


Opera in the market – as reported last week, a number of traders attended this event on Monday and gave it a big thumbs-up. We may tend to take our magnificent old sheds for granted but given the right lighting, the right sound, and the right occasion, they can really add atmosphere. 

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