CHARLESTON, W.Va. –Dozens gathered Wednesday evening for Capitol Market’s annual fundraiser, the Market Mixer.
Culinary students at Carver Career and Technology Center serving food
Interim Executive Director Candace Nelson said they have been hosting the event for almost 30 years to gain support, celebrate fall, and highlight everything the market has to offer.
Nelson said the Mixer is about supporting the nonprofit to ensure it can continue operating while also helping small businesses thrive.
She explained that the Mixer is not only a fundraiser but also a way to showcase small businesses to the community.
“It really helps highlight all of these small vendors, and small businesses and so folks can come and get samples and see live demonstrations and listen to music and enjoy some food,” Nelson said.
The event featured drinks from The Wine & Cheese Shop, Bogey’s at Capitol Market and Soho’s, hors d’oeuvres (appetizers) from culinary students at Carver Career and Technical Center and music was performed by The Parachute Brigade.
One vendor was Johnnies Fresh Meat Market, located inside Capitol Market, which offers a wide variety of local meats. Owner Krisene Stanley said the family business has been operating for 52 years. It began with her grandfather, who passed it down to her mother, and eventually to her.
Stanley said being at the market helps ensure they are able to continue serving customers.
“Being a small business is a struggle,” she said. “But this is a great place to be a small business, it really helps endorse your business, and it helps bring people in and just keeps us relevant,” she said.
The Parachute Brigade performs during Market Mixer
During the mixer, they were giving out samples of homemade chili. Stanley also said since beef prices were so high they were showcasing a flatiron steak that can be used as an alternative to prime rib or tenderloins.
“It does also let us showcase to our customers, that’s why we did it tonight so that we could kind of give our own customers of what they can have because a lot of the people here tonight are our customers and support our market,” she said.
Nelson said the Mixer allows the community to come together; however, Capitol Market strives to be a community space every day.
“Capitol Market is really a community gathering space, whether that’s meeting somebody for coffee or coming to pick out your pumpkin for Halloween, we try to be a little bit of something for everybody, whether that’s making memories here or whether that’s meeting up with a business colleague,” she said.