Community & Creativity Flourish at East Austin Market
Small Businesses, Big Success
Words by Guadalupe Triana Photos by Baptiste Despois
While the focus is to empower small business owners, East Austin Market (EAM) founder and organizer Alitca Rueda is also fostering culture and building community one market at a time.
The once-quarterly-now-monthly outdoor event takes place at the Platform Apartments on East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. EAM features a wide variety of local handpicked makers, artisans, and entrepreneurs selling special, original products from mouthwatering pan dulce to pet accessories as special as your furry friend. With these selections, there’s bound to be an item for every type of shopper.
At EAM, most businesses are owned and operated by women. Popular vendors include Ms. Camarillo’s Corner, who specializes in colorful, one-of-a-kind handmade clay earrings. With such a unique product, Ms. Camarillo’s Corner sold out at its first ever market.
Other vendors, like The Booth by JM Photography, help create a memorable experience with their inflatable LED photo booth. Balloon styling business Up & Up Loons creates stunning backdrops that not only elevate every event but also helps promote monthly market themes.
“Many of these products come from people [who created them] during Covid, and I think that’s amazing,” Alitca says.
The market was launched in early 2021 when co-founder Kristin Dalton approached Alitca with the idea of creating a physical marketplace. Alitca was immediately interested, and once the idea was established, vendors quickly started seeing success.
However, as a busy entrepreneur and business owner stretched in multiple directions, Kristin took a step back once things at the market became more demanding. Alitca then became the sole organizer and fully took over operations. Thanks to the help and support of family and friends, the market has continued expanding.
“I have extremely helpful friends,” Alitca shares. “I’ve been really lucky. They just lend a hand and come and help me run these markets.”
While EAM might not be the only local makers’ marketplace in the community, there are certainly aspects that set it apart from others. As the market grows in popularity, Alitca is intentional about who vends and how many vendors get to participate. “I’ve started transitioning into smaller markets just to be able to give [vendors] the opportunity to hopefully sell out of their product,” she explains.
In addition to the market, Alitca runs her own tax and bookkeeping business, AG Rueda Bookkeeping. She explains that her love of numbers and passion for business management have helped with the EAM vision. “I’m able to talk to the vendors and say, ‘hey, you should try this, or you should try that,’” she shares. “It’s pretty cool seeing someone create a product, put it out there, and create something amazing for themselves.”
As multiple businesses continue selling out on a regular basis, it’s clear Alitca’s impact goes beyond the monthly gathering. Her goal is to continue providing a platform for people to share their talents and creativity.
“I love to see people happy,” Alitca says. “It just brings me joy.”
Contact:
eastaustinmarket@gmail.com
eastatxmarket.com
FB: @eastaustinmarket
IG: @eastatxmarket
