Saturday, Saturday, Saturday Market!

Yesterday was Raw Dog's Eugene Saturday Market season opening day. Actually the second weekend for Market, but due to the addition of Wags to our roster, we bowed out of the first weekend.

Yesterday's weather was pristine--a gorgeous, clear and sunny, mid-seventies, perfect-for-misplacing-your-shoes April Saturday. I started out the market day by snagging the very last 4 x 4 space available, but ran into Jacqui of Rory's (delectable) Doghouse Cookies, with whom I share the Holiday Market booth. Jacqui's Saturday Market space is a lovely little inside corner with open space on one side, a rock wall and trees all around and behind. It's shady, across from the fountain, and at the cross of a T intersection. Also, it's a corner space so she's got two open sides. It's a sweet piece of Market real estate, and we're thrilled to be invited to share.

What this means is through this Market season you'll generally find us at Market space 39, on the fountain block. If you're crusing around the sidewalks, turn South at the pie lady, but don't forget to stop and buy all the blueberry pie she's got on hand. Trust me on this one; if we haven't cleaned her out, you'll want to get in on that action. We do occasionally take a Saturday off, especially likely when the weather is miserable, and if Jacqui's taking the day off we may take another booth space. If you need help finding us, you can always ask at the Info booth, on the Courthouse corner. Just keep an ear out for the drum circles if you misplace the info booth. ;0)

Meanwhile, highlights of the day kicked off with a cup of Dana's Cheesecake Factory's delicious hot chocolate and a chance encounter with a girl fairly new to the area who'd bailed out of New York City a few months ago, evidently having decided there were better things found elsewhere. In the first few sun-shiny market days, it's hard for new vendors to actually set up a booth space. Space allocation is done by seniority, and early (high-traffic) days are more likely to see vendors actually show up. And show up they do, everybody and their dogs.

Well, not their dogs, because believe it or not, the City of Eugene doesn't allow dogs within park borders. Let me say that again. A park that doesn't allow dogs. But, I digress.

So between high attendance among the veterans and scads of plucky new vendors yearning to hawk their wares, there are just aren't enough spaces available for all, and dozens of folks who took their market point and spent the day in the crowds, instead. My spunky East Coast friend managed to wrangle my empty 4 x 4, so more than one of us won out, there.

Other highlights of the day included RollerGirl Susie B. stopping by for a visit, Market lemonade and barbecued asparagus, the sweetest bluegrass I've heard in dog's years, and the chance to buy a hand-knapped obsidian skinning knife which hopefully will be seeing some use here, soon. We sold gear for a bloodhound, two dauchsunds, several labs, and a herd of pits, amstaffs, a toy poodle, and bulldogs of all types.

All in all a great kick-off to the season. Folks were out in droves, we ran into a bunch of old friends and made several new ones. We did one of our best days of business at Market in over a year, but it's a great way to spend your Saturday even when sales are slow. Come see us!