Good Things Market
Good Things Market is Hull’s modern makers market, showcasing independent traders from across Hull, the North and even further! Expect makers, creators, artists bakers, movers and shakers bringing you print / jewellery / homeware / art / vintage / ceramics / food / drinks / music / plants and more good things.
We sat down with the team behind the market to hear their story…
Tell us a little about yourselves and what inspired you to start Good Things Market?
Good Things is Hull's super fun and free-to-enter makers market. We fill our venue with the very best independent makers, creators, artists, bakers, movers and shakers from across Hull, East Yorkshire, The North and even further!. Our market is seasonal, running 4-5 times a year just off Humber Street on the Marina.
Between us, we have traded at lots of different markets and felt like there were things that could be done better. The diversity and standard of traders is the most important element to make a good market. It's unlikely you'll find the same trader at two of our markets in a row! That means we are incredibly picky but it also means our trader line-ups are always fresh, high-quality and give up-and-comers a chance as well as market favourites. We also feel that a lot of market organisers take us for granted as traders, which is why we do everything we can to take care of our traders as well as our punters.
How did the idea for the market first come about, and what was the journey like from idea to reality?
Alice and Joe from Form Shop & Studio had spoken about running a market in the area to bring people down to Humber Street. We were in the run-up to Christmas 2019 and thought it’d be great to have a Christmas market after previous ones in the area and mentioned it to Lara from Plant & Paint at one of the Fruit Market tenant meetings. She offered to help and we soon found that the small team of three worked well, all of our different strengths came into play… Joe as a designer, Lara on social media and Alice on the admin side. We had similar thoughts about what we wanted to do in the area and nudged each other along until the plans fell into place.
We were sick with nerves the morning of our first market. Like when you're having a party and you're worried no one is going to turn up. About ten minutes into opening, we had to have a one-in-one-out system because it was so busy! The market has just gone from strength to strength since.
What kinds of traders and makers do you look for when curating the market?
We’re all about bringing together brilliant indie traders who make, design, and create things with passion and originality. We love stalls that feel fresh, exciting, and a little bit different. The ‘Things’ can be absolutely anything though, whether that’s contemporary ceramics, funky prints, slow fashion, banging chocolates or unique homewares. If it’s well-made, thoughtfully designed and done well, we’ll like it.
While we have many tried and tested market staples like freshly baked bread, vintage fashion or tasty treats, we also love seeing something new, something we’ve never seen before. Like Peter Levy in balloon form!
And of course, a good stall setup makes a difference. A well-laid-out, eye-catching display not only helps you stand out but also makes the whole market feel more inspiring for visitors. Ultimately, we’re looking for traders who bring a mix of creativity, quality, and a little bit of something special.
How do you support independent artists, crafters, and small businesses through the market?
It starts with the curation of the market, we don’t like to have too many of one type of trader, for example, you won’t find several jewellery makers of the same style. We feel this gives traders the best chance for trading on the day. It takes us hours to select the line-up for each market, as each one is unique.
We put a lot into promoting the market, using traditional methods such as flyers and posters as well as social media advertising and creating bespoke images for each trader to share. We have our fantastic staff who will get involved and make silly reels for us which we love them for, and of course, we all put in a shift carrying our giant yellow arrow on the day.. All this together brings an engaged and supportive crowd down, around 3,000 visitors per market, who have come to discover and shop from indie traders.
We have recently introduced shared stalls, which are half the stall fee and give traders who may not have enough wares or confidence to fill a full table yet a chance to see what market life is about.
What have been some of the biggest challenges in running an independent market?
We’ve had some corkers! In the first couple of years, our venues were challenging. Without a dedicated market hall in the Fruit Market area, we’ve made use of empty warehouses, and now our home is in an undercroft car park (it’s amazing what a bit of bunting can do to a space!). Our traders have always got on board with our locations though, one particular Winter market was during a rainy day with high winds… luckily we’d managed to patch up the roof the night before, and a friend of the market John Brien was there playing prog rock versions of Christmas songs to keep spirits up. People still turned out to be incredible shops… we said they were a supportive crowd! It's been a challenge but we want to keep the markets in the Fruit Market to support the area but also because of the convenience of it being near our shops.
Now we’re settled on the Queen Street location, one of the biggest challenges remaining is not having enough space for every trader applying to join us. We want to balance supporting local traders with introducing makers from further afield. Some people apply 5 or 6 times before we can offer them a slot, which seems like a lot but we’ll always give them the same consideration as the first time they apply.
Getting traders in from further afield has itself been a bit of an unforeseen issue. Some people have suggested we aren't supporting locals enough because of this. But we strongly believe that having a fresh, high-quality lineup of traders at every market is the biggest pull that brings consistently high footfall. People love seeing something that they've not seen before as well as all their local faves. What we've also found is that the out-of-towners often make a weekend of it, stay in Hulls hotels, eat in our restaurants and visit our sights. It's sometimes their first time in the city and they wouldn't have come if it wasn't for the market so we see this as a huge win.
Then of course there's the big one, covid. We were nearing our second date when that brought everything to a halt. We should be a few more markets in than we are now but it was really exciting when we could finally make a return.
What’s the most rewarding part of bringing together so many creatives in one space?
Seeing people make market pals! It’s not just about reaching customers for traders, they also want to engage with other people who sell at markets and make connections. Some have brought out products they have collaborated on which is always so cool to see.
Before we open the doors to a market there will often be an eager queue waiting. If you’re ever in that queue, take a look at the traders’ faces as you all walk in - it’s a joy to see them all be so chuffed that you turned up to support them and pack the place out. Also dogs. We’re dog-friendly and market day is always full of lovely furry friends.
We also love seeing what people are sharing online, whether it's their Good Things shopping lists beforehand or their market haul pics afterwards. It's great to see people engaging so positively with their local indies.
How has the Hull community responded to Good Things Market?
Our immediate local community by the Marina are so supportive of the market, as are our landlords at the Fruit Market who have helped us access buildings and facilities and this helps us to keep the market free entry. One major reason for creating the market in the first place was to have some busy days down Humber Street with plenty of eager shoppers around. We always ask for feedback from the business in the area after market day and they always say that they've had a busy one.
It’s great when you see a regular visitor to the market discover a new brand, or get excited about one of their favourites returning.
The support was demonstrable in December when we put on an ‘emergency’ edition of the market with less than 24 hours’ notice. A hugely popular Christmas market in the region, unfortunately, had to be cancelled due to weather, so we arranged to house as many traders as we could in Juice Studios on Humber Street to give them a chance to sell the stock they’d prepared. We didn’t know if customers would show up at such short notice but they heard the call to help and so many people turned up to shop - we are so thankful to our community of customers.
What’s next for the Good Things Market? Any exciting plans for the future?
We have thrown around all sorts of ideas! A Good Things indie map of Hull, Good Things merch, seeking local sponsors for the markets, a possible second venue, and all sorts of themed markets. We'll count it as a win if we find time to do one of those things!
It would be really rewarding for us to find the time to offer people who think they might want to get involved with markets some support, whether that’s coaching or funded places.
How can people support the market and the traders involved?
It’s not just about on-the-day sales for the majority of our traders, most also sell online so pick up a business card from them or take a photo to remind yourself of what they do and order from them at some point in the future.
If you have shopped with them, give them a follow and tag them in a photo so they can see where their thoughtfully made products have ended up. Or if you’re enjoying their stall, take a snap and tag them anyway, it’s such a helpful and free way to show support.
The main way you can support them is to show up on the market day, bring your pals, buy a coffee and a snack, have a nice day out on the Marina and then get the next market day in your diary.
Following, sharing and supporting the Good Things accounts will also really help us to spread the word and get more people down to the marina on market day.
If someone is interested in becoming a trader at Good Things Market, what advice would you give them?
Apply, apply, apply! Get on our radar. We see every application, and we notice if you’re improving in your craft, doing other markets, getting proven sales on Etsy for example. Try to fill out the form as best you can, including linking us to your social media and images of your stall set-up. If you don’t have one yet, you could mock one up at home.
Don't be disheartened if you don't get in, even after a few applications. We have five times more people apply than we have space for so it's likely just a numbers thing.
Most of all, come down and visit and see what it’s all about. If you're a market newbie and feeling a bit shy, we find it inspiring to get advice from other traders who were in your position.
Contact Good Things
https://www.instagram.com/goodthingsmarket
