Spurred by COVID, local CBD company builds community marketplace

In May 2020, shopping centers throughout the nation and world were shut down, along with offices and schools. Many were wondering when they would experience a semblance of the normalcy they enjoyed before COVID-19 appeared on the world stage.

Janie Dickens was one of those people. Her business, Healing Green Farms, had been selling cannabidiol-based products since 2019. As a hemp farmer with a boutique product, it was difficult for Dickens to demonstrate her products' uses without talking to customers in-person.

The Community Marketplace emerged when Dickens saw she had plenty of outdoor space at Healing Green Farms for vendors to set up booths and for shoppers to distance themselves from others.

"I didn't have a way to sell my products, or connect with customers. I knew a lot of other people didn't either," said Dickens. "The Marketplace came into existence because of our desire to provide a place for people to engage in some local commerce during a time when we were ordering from Amazon."

"We opened on Memorial Day weekend in 2020, thinking it would be a one-time event," said Dickens. "The turnout and support from the community was overwhelming, and we knew we needed to plan future events. So we opened up the farm every weekend, and we continued all the way through the Christmas holidays. We did everything socially distanced and masked, and it became a popular gathering place for local folks."

Locals in the southern Wake County area flocked to one of the only markets operating at the time, and the Community Marketplace became a preferred venue for growers, local artisans, small business owners and food trucks to reach consumers and showcase their goods.

One of the small businesses that thrived at the Community Marketplace, Sawdust & Sage, is owned by mother and son duo Karen and Tyler Matthews. It began as a hobby for Tyler with his mother's encouragement. She would ask businesses and friends for pallets so Tyler had lumber to experiment with.

It didn't take her long to see his talent for carpentry.

With a background in luxury cosmetics, Karen's retail experience helped her recognize there was a market for Tyler's creations. Working with repurposed wood pallets they broke down and milled, Tyler and Karen made furniture and decorative items that she would then post on social media.

The products began to sell, and in fall 2020, Karen discovered the Community Marketplace.

"Our rustic farmhouse vibe meshes really well with being on the farm," said Karen. "We made tree collars, which is a wooden box you use instead of a tree skirt, pallet wreaths and door hangers. Summertime this year we built chairs, benches and firepit covers to turn firepits into tables."

With a mix of online and in-person business, Sawdust & Sage has flourished.

"We do a lot of online business," said Karen. "We build it all week, and I'll ask them to come pick it up at the marketplace. I like being a partner because it truly is a great venue for us. It gives us a chance to meet our customers in person since we don't have a store."

Meeting customers has been especially important to Tyler, who experienced self-doubt after being diagnosed on the autism spectrum in 2020, said Karen. His carpentry work has given his life new meaning and purpose.

"Being able to meet with customers and hear their feedback, and hear how much they love their table and chairs or hear how beautiful his work is has really changed his life," said Karen.

The success led to Karen quitting her job so she could devote more time to Sawdust & Sage, which is now a weekly anchor vendor at the Community Marketplace.

"I can't even tell you how much the Marketplace has helped us grow," said Karen. "Before, I had 275 to 300 followers on Facebook. We have over 1,600 now."

Along with local products and food trucks, local musicians are providing entertainment to the many customers at the Community Marketplace, and vendors to sign up online for space. Additionally, Dickens plans to host a plant exchange in October, offer Christmas trees the Saturday before Thanksgiving and host a Burning Hearts chili cookoff in February 2022.

While events will change based on the year and the season, Dickens hopes the Community Marketplace will continue to provide a place for local commerce and community activities.