At the Roosevelt Collection Shops, people browsed through a variety of vendors, each selling their own products. From clothing and jewelry to pastries and poultry, attendees had the opportunity to try an array of what the South Loop Night Market had to offer.

The Night Market occurs every Thursday evening from 4 to 8 p.m. at 150 W. Roosevelt Road, where vendors who are primarily based in the city sell a range of goods, from homemade food to handcrafted jewelry.

Stephanie Jokich, co-founder and active marketing manager of the South Loop Night Market, said that in 2014 she was inspired to create the Night Market when she noticed that the neighborhood “did not have a very strong active farmer’s market community.” It opened the next year.

“I had been working very closely with farmers, chefs and different community organizations,” said Jokich. “I just felt strongly that the South Loop needed this.”

Chris Hebron was one of the first vendors to start selling at the Night Market. Hebron Farms, a family-owned business, has been selling organic meats and produce at the market for over 10 years. 

“When it originally started down on 18th and Michigan, it was a small community market,” Hebron said. “We got to know the families real well, and we’re servicing the community.”

Valerie Vedral, owner of the Vulgar Vegan bakery, has found success promoting herself at the Night Market for her first year.  

“This has been the market where I’ve gotten probably the most orders from,” said Vedral, who specializes in vegan cakes and pastries. “A lot of people are taking my card, it’s super close to my kitchen, so that’s a bonus.”

Clothing and accessories were also sold at the market.

When Kristin Carrera heard about the Night Market through her friend, she applied to become a vendor this year. Carrera, owner of Button Up Accessories, said that for her, upcycling buttons and turning them into jewelry is a good way of being sustainable. 

“I believe in the power of sustainability,” Carrera said. “A lot of people have jars of buttons lying around and I turn them into something of higher quality.”

For attendees, having the Night Market around was a nice change of pace from how farmers markets typically are.

“I normally see farmers markets during the day; you never see them during the evening,” said Jennifer Ether, who came from the south suburbs of Chicago. “It’s nice to do something that  you would normally do during the daytime but at night.”

Nicholas Oita, a Printer’s Row resident, discovered the market for the first time while walking in the neighborhood Thursday night. 

“It’s nice to see a lot of local sellers coming out and getting some business,” Oita said, who would later buy some ice cream from Yoberri Gourmet, a frozen treat vendor.  

The South Loop Night Market is one of four events hosted by the South Loop Farmers Market organization. They also have a daytime market located in Printer’s Row, along with two indoor markets that run during the winter, including one at the Roosevelt location. The market at Roosevelt opens in early January.

The outdoor Night Market will close for the season next Thursday, Sept. 25. It will return next June.

Copy edited by Manuel Nocera