Faro: Montenegro's New Market aims to retain stallholders and customers

On Wednesdays and Sundays, vendors and curious onlookers begin to occupy the former Equinostrum space, a riding center that closed years ago. It's a private initiative run by João Parreira, better known as "Russo" of the bifanas.

The idea arose due to the lack of regular markets in this municipality. The closest is the Wednesday market in Quarteira, in Loulé.

The developer decided to move forward because "there are many people who want to sell and can't find space in the Quelfes market and Parque das Cidades," which are already well-established. In conversation with other colleagues, he found a solution to open a space in Montenegro, which can accommodate antiques, secondhand items, clothing, fresh produce, vehicles, and even boats, if anyone wants to bring them in for business.

Parreira assures that he requested clarification from Faro City Council and was exempted from formalities. "They told me that since it's a private property, it doesn't need a public space occupation license, nothing else. The only thing I had to license was the food and beverage trailer," he summarizes. Even so, he admits that he will have to notify the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), as the land is located within the Ria Formosa Natural Park.

The last two months have been dedicated to cleaning up the area, where "a pile of acacias and reeds" had accumulated. Now, anyone interested in selling can set up shop for free. "We're just getting started. If we ever charge a small fee, it will only help with the costs of garbage collection," he adds. "I'll have to rent two containers, which will be collected by a private party," despite a request already being made to FAGAR, which he doesn't believe will be granted.

For now, the most important thing is to attract market vendors, vendors, and vendors. "There's nothing in Faro. I think the idea will be accepted. There are people who make a living from this and only find spaces on Sundays. They can come here during the week too," believes the organizer. The opening hours will be from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In the future, "no one will leave before 3:00 p.m.," guarantees João Russo, who already has extensive experience with mobile events.

Regarding the use of the space, Parreira explains that he reached a gentleman's agreement with the owner: "I'll clean and take care of it, and we can enjoy it."

Among the vendors is Vítor Coelho, a veteran of the antiques and collectibles market, and everyone knows him. A regular presence on the regional buying and selling circuit for over ten years, he says the only thing he doesn't see is the economy improving.

"People still come to the fairs and markets. But today it's weaker than it was before. There's no purchasing power. People can't afford food, let alone this. For about six years, there's been a decline. I only do this out of addiction," he emphasizes, despite the low prices at his stall.

And the assortment it offers is rich: rings, necklaces and various jewelry, crockery, antique tureens, decorative bric-a-brac , clocks, metal peacocks, paintings and frames.

"These are things I find that people no longer want and I bring them to sell," he says.

Bronze objects are the most successful. And don't think that it's foreign investment that drives the most order.

"Foreigners don't buy as much as people say. If they see I have a saint or an Our Lady for sale, they don't care. If they buy things to decorate their homes, they like them more," he compares.

Regarding the event in Faro, he acknowledges the risk. "There's no such thing as this. I don't know why, but it seems like people don't really attend. But we, with our willpower, will make sure they come," he says.

Perseverance and persistence pay off, as he explains, "in the beginning, when we held the fair in Almancil, it was the same. Now it's different. But it took years of work to build customer loyalty."

Those who go crazy over this offer are postcard and calendar collectors, and there are those who look for it on market days, early in the morning, before the stall is even set up, in search of new items.

Dionísio Dias, a fresh produce vendor, believes the new event is well-located and "has all the conditions to take off. But it needs to invest to see short-term results, otherwise, it could end up a failure."

This small producer brings potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and apples, all grown in Besouro's garden. He says the spaces need to be marked and numbered to avoid conflicts between vendors if there is undue occupancy, and also to prepare the space for winter, otherwise it could become a mud pit.

Dias agrees that markets are still attractive. "I think so, and increasingly so. Because that's where people go looking for something different from what's in supermarkets. Today, many people want to value nature."

And nostalgia also sells. "They go looking for souvenirs, something that reminds them of their grandparents. Otherwise, I wouldn't be as interested. Just recently, someone came here and said to me, ' These grapes aren't foreign! ' I replied, 'They're Portuguese .' He took a kilo. That's usually how I'm approached, and so I see what motivates and brings people to the markets."

Paula Dias is a farmer at Quinta das Marias, in Luz de Tavira. She runs the Loulé market on Saturdays and sells her produce on Sundays at Largo do Carmo in Faro. She welcomes the new event. "Everything mixes up here, just like at other markets," such as the one in Estoi, which takes place on the second Sunday of each month. "This is something new for those who can come. The space itself is good. Now we need to publicize it more so it can take off."

Anyone who wants to participate can contact the organizer by telephone (917 733 918).