Community Interest
Authentic: Erin Curtis
For the Common Ground issue of Fig Columbia, we’re celebrating the small businesses, cuisines, and public spaces that bind us, weaving shared experiences and connections throughout our community. And there’s no event or initiative in Columbia that embodies the mission of this issue more than Soda City Market.
For the Common Ground issue of Fig Columbia, we’re celebrating the small businesses, cuisines, and public spaces that bind us, weaving shared experiences and connections throughout our community. And there’s no event or initiative in Columbia that embodies the mission of this issue more than Soda City Market. Part farmers market, part street festival, Soda City has become the centerpiece of our city: a venue for artisans, chefs, baristas, and gardeners to share their wares with locals and travelers in the open air.
Though she would never admit it, Soda City’s level of regional and national success is due in no small part to its co-owner and CEO, Erin Curtis, this issue’s Fig Authentic.
She first worked with the market years ago, serving as a part-time manager to support Emile DeFelice, the founder of what was then called the All Local Farmers Market. After living in Washington D.C. for a few years, she returned to Columbia and eventually rejoined the team in what Emile calls her “second tour of Soda City.”
Now with a steady Main Street presence and an enthusiastic community of vendors and visitors, Erin approached her new role with one overarching goal in mind: to build an internal structure for this company that could last.
And last, it has.
“Emile and I never thought it would become what it is today,” Erin said. “That was never on the vision board.”
Now spanning five downtown blocks, Soda City hosts 200 producer-only vendors and 7,000 visitors every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.—serving Columbia with the precision and versatility of a Swiss army knife. It’s a launching pad for new small businesses, a favorite breakfast and lunch spot for regulars, a tourist destination for travelers from near and far.
And now, the market has been recognized on a national stage. Last year, Soda City was voted the Best Farmers Market in the nation in the USA Today 10Best awards—beating out every major city market in the country.
Throughout all the success, Erin remains grounded in her intentions to help the market’s vendors become as successful as possible. “If anyone has worked for a small business or started their own small business, they understand how hard it is, and we want to make it less hard for them.” Erin said. “So that’s our guiding principle: do what we can to help them grow their businesses.”
So far, 32 market vendors have now opened their own brick and mortars, building from their foundation at Soda City. With this kind of success, Soda City Market—which Erin fittingly calls “the unofficial town square of Columbia”—will be here for many years to come.
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