PANAMA CITY. With Christmas just over a week away, the returning holiday market will give the community a chance to get last-minute gifts.
The Hive in Panama City will host its second annual Last Minute Market event, where local vendors gather to sell their one-of-a-kind items for anyone who still needs to shop before Christmas. This year’s market will be held Monday at The Sapp House, 224 E. Third Court, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Molly Caskey, owner of The Hive, brought the holiday market to life last year.
“The Hive is very pro-small business, so we wanted to make sure we gave sellers another chance to make a little extra money before the holidays and people to find a unique gift for Christmas,” Caskey said. “Everything is hand-picked to be a great gift, and this market is specifically designed for that reason.”
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During the market, holiday shoppers can explore a wide variety of handmade, homemade or custom-made items, including candles, clothing, desserts, jewelry, essential oils and more. In addition, Caskey said people can also shop for last-minute needs like holiday cards and gift wrapping.
Participating vendors include Little British Bakery, Tide & Till, Tangerine Textiles, Harper & Clay Boutique, Amethyst Garden, The Party Shop, Drip Coffee Co., Esther & Jo Boutique, Gracie’s Cheesecake, Brigadeiros Brazilian Desserts and Melted Honey.
In addition to holiday shopping, a complimentary glass of champagne will be provided for the sip n’ shop experience, and Sapp House will be selling bottles of Honey Bubbles Moscato. Also, Caskey said, visitors can enter a raffle for a gift basket filled with merchandise from downtown businesses, with all proceeds going as a windfall donation to a local charity.
“This raffle is a great opportunity to get some of these products into the hands of someone who has never tried it to help promote local shopping, and of course to do something good because it’s the holiday season and we want to make sure that back to give too,” he said.
Caskey said all the businesses in the market are women-owned and mostly owned by mothers. While it wasn’t intentional, she said supporting small businesses is important to her because she knows how it affects families.
“It just worked out, and I think it proves that small business in Panama City is just a necessary place for moms to have their own aspect of their lives to grow and something that’s just for them.” She said: “Making sure we’re empowering women to create new things shows that this is such a rewarding event for them.”
As Caskey prepares for the second annual bazaar, he hopes the turnout will be the same, if not bigger, than his first bazaar.
“I was amazed at how many people showed up last year,” Caskey said. “All the vendors did a great job of cross-promoting, so we reached multiple audiences. It’s been such an incredible response and it’s excited me for this year.”
Caskey said he hopes to grow the Last Minute Market every year and hopes the market is something both sellers and buyers look forward to.
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