For more than 20 years, the Clover Market has been popping up in local communities, providing opportunities for shoppers to support small businesses and a platform for vendors to showcase their work and develop relationships with their customers.
Founded in 2010 by Janet Long, the market was designed to provide a venue for independent artisans and antique dealers to connect with customers who love to shop small. The market was modeled after European open-air markets that combined antiques and vintage items with original art and handmade products.
“The Market’s name, four leaf clover logo and ‘Lucky Finds for the Home’ tagline were inspired by the notion of a unique, one-of- a-kind find,” says Long. “Our mission is to amplify and support small businesses who bring creativity and uniqueness to our world through their high-quality, handmade prod- ucts, along with carefully selected antiques and collectibles. We are dedicated to show- casing beautiful, timeless products from people carving their own creative path.”
Long’s inspiration for the market came from her passion for going to flea markets and antique shops and finding unique hand- made items for herself and others.
“At the time when I started the Market there really wasn’t anything similar in our area that combined antiques and vintage items with original art and handmade prod- ucts,” says Long.
“I thought it would be a great idea to com- bine both of these elements into one show and give people an opportunity to meet the artists face to face. I modeled Clover after some of the European open-air markets I had visited during my travels.”
Long started her career in advertising, went back to school to get an MBA, worked as a marketing director for a consulting firm and spent some time running an interior design firm with a colleague. Long’s back- ground in marketing, design and project management have served her well in grow- ing the business from one small outdoor market in Ardmore, Pa., to biannual out- door popup markets in Chestnut Hill, Bryn Mawr, Kennett Square and Collingswood, in addition to popup holiday events.
“I love learning new things and making connections with people,” says Long. “I am definitely still as hands-on with the markets as when I began, and I manage everything from vendor selection to marketing, social media and all of the onsite logistics.”
She is also involved in the selection of the vendors.
“We are looking for folks who have a passion for putting together creative and carefully styled displays … basi- cally a ‘shop for the day,’” she explains. “We try to maintain a nice mix of ven- dors to keep the Market interesting and fresh. We’ve selected the ‘best-of-the- best’ from the Philadelphia region and beyond to provide consumers with a unique, high- quality shopping experience.”
The Clover Market first came to Collingswood in 2016 and has been attracting an increasing number of vendors and shoppers over the years.
“In the last year or so the Market has really hit its stride in the community,” says Cass Duffey, Collignswood’s Borough Administrator. “It’s been a great addition to our portfolio of events and attracts people from all over the area, since we’re the only New Jersey site. It’s also been a complement to our existing businesses, because when people come into town and spend money at the Market, they also visit and support our local restaurants and shops,” says Duffey.
“All of our locations were chosen for their thriving, walkable downtown areas where we had strong support from the local business districts and an interest from the commu- nity and local business owners in bringing a curated popup event to town,” says Long.
“Collingswood has been a wonderful loca- tion for us, due to its enthusiastic customer base and supportive business community. There are so many great events and festivals held in the Borough each year, and there’s a wonderful level of support for the creative arts. I’m originally from North Jersey, so I loved being able to bring the Market to a New Jersey location.”
The Collingswood Clover Market will be held on Saturday, September 25th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Vendors will be located along Irvin Avenue starting at Haddon Avenue, in the Kitchen & Associates/Zane Schoolhouse lot and in half of the North Atlantic Avenue parking lot (the site of the Farmers’ Market). The Market location is in the heart of the historic downtown and is a short walk from the PATCO station, a short ride from Philadelphia and easily accessible to residents in
South Jersey and beyond. For more information visit https://theclovermarket.com.
