April already? Where's the year gone? Happy April Fool's Day and welcome to Melville Untold - the newsletter that makes you love your hood!

In today’s newsletter,

• 18 Years Of Connecting Artisans To The Melville Community🎪

• Lots Of Arts & Crafts🎨

• CREASS Updates On Upliftment Tasks 🔨

Let’s go. 

— Aubrey Moloto, Phoenix-lin Makhaya, Kele Jackson

The Digest

8 Years Connecting Local Artisans To The Melville Community

When it comes to markets, we're spoilt for choice in Melville. We're lucky to have two that continuously bridge the gap between local quality products and the community. One has delivered on this promise for 18 years and still goes strong - Melville's first-ever market, The Melville Artisanal Market.

This week we take you on the journey of the market on Rustenberg Road as we know it today through Melville's many phases since the late 2000s and circle back to the present. Grab a coffee, sit back and press 2007 on your mind's time travel keypad. Let's go!

The Preface (Magaliesburg - Jozi)

The year is 2007. Cathryn Dell, a German immigrant, who was born in England and living in South Africa since 1962 - ran a duck farm with her family in Magaliesburg. Her son left the farm, bought a home and settled in Melville, Johannesburg. Passionate about ducks and blessed with entrepreneurial spirit, she needed to find a market for her duck products.

Cathy developed her ideas around Magalies and tested her duck, liver patté and pies at local lodges and restaurants. She found a strategy that worked, but the Magalies Market was small and Jo'burg promised a brilliant step up. On one visit to her son in Melville, she tried selling to restaurants on the strip - which buzzed with activity from 1st Avenue to 4th.

Her Magaliesburg experience taught her how to package her offerings. The restaurants loved her products and she grew a small client base in Melville. But the drive down Carlow Road from Magalies was unforgiving, so she needed a base in Melville to sell from and service her clients better. Cathy discovered a market on the rooftop of Bamboo Life Style Centre and had her son get the organisers' details.

The Greens & Rooftop Market (Pre 2017 - 2018)

Allison Green and her husband, wine farmers from the Cape, owned the Bamboo centre. They belong to the Green family of Douglas Green Wines and hoped to bring their wines to Melville. As frequent patrons of the Bryanston farmers market, they loved the fresh vegetables sold by Richard Mabuza and his family.

Travelling to Bryanston for fresh produce became tiresome for the Greens, giving them another reason to open their own market. Richard's family noticed many customers struggling to travel across the city to get fresh produce weekly, so they joined the Greens at the newly formed Melville Farmer's Market.

Initially, the market ran monthly, then fortnightly. The Greens invited locals to sell fresh produce while running their wine stall. This charming young market featured a handful of vendors selling fresh vegetables, dairy products, duck, and wines and Sam (the Baker's Brothers' father) selling fresh bread and pastries.

The market gained momentum despite heavy competition from Jozi Market at Pirates in Parkhurst/Greenside, along with the nearby Linden and Rosebank Markets. The Greens felt the market wasn't boosting their wine sales, so Allison stopped selling. Eventually, they sold the Bamboo Lifestyle Centre.

Reinventing The Farmers Market

The new management's vision clashed with the concept of a farmer's market, and they closed it down. Vendors received permission to operate in the parking lot, but this created problems for the Service Station's customers. Some vendors moved to other markets, but Cathy and young Richard, deeply connected to the Melville community, were determined to stay local.

In 2008, Richard and Cathy approached Diane at the recreation centre across from Bamboo to move down to the Tennis Courts. Before long, they set up their gazebos, stocked their tables and launched what would become today's market, still called The Melville Farmer's Market.

Up & Up We Go!

The new Melville Market faced a difficult start. Richard and Cathy persevered through quiet times, promoted heavily and sought stalls that matched their fresh produce vision. By 2014, the market had grown and the community embraced their concept. By 2016, it had become a local hit in its own right. The market established an identity as a true farmer's market with various stalls selling fresh produce from across the city.

It developed a lively family atmosphere, with furry family members welcome too. Cathy and Richard had built something even better than where they started. The Melville Farmer's Market flourished through the 2010s until the pandemic struck...

The Melville Artisanal Market

After the pandemic, the market never quite regained its 2010s success but still held excellent Saturday markets with occasional dips and a solid team of stallholders. Fresh produce stalls gradually decreased as artisanal products grew more prevalent. By 2024, just as it seemed to return to vibrancy, the stalls unfortunately split.

This split deeply saddened the Melville Artisanal Market team, reducing their stalls again and forcing another reinvention. Since then, the market hasn't been the same. Though they've enjoyed successful events like their 2024 Halloween, 18th birthday celebration and many vibrant Saturdays. Long-term customers who remember the Bamboo Centre days miss its former fresh-produce-heavy market days and others miss its 2010s vibrancy.

One customer loved getting all her fresh produce there, while another missed bumping into community members, feeling that the market no longer delivers these experiences.

Cathy has weathered rougher periods with this market and believes they're in another rebuilding phase. Richard takes pride in their growth, resilience through highs and lows, and ongoing community value. Both remain passionate about the community and fresh, homemade products, with Cathy expressing concern about stalls selling "Far Eastern" products.

They aim to return to their original vision: a family-centric, community-serving market for fresh homemade products. Their main challenges include changing consumer perspectives on supporting local and artisanal markets, plus marketing difficulties in increasing their brand's reach. They both believe attracting sellers who share their values is key. Cathy, the former duck farmer, and Richard, a born fruit and vegetable farmer, still maintain their passion for fresh, organic products.

The Melville Artisanal Market (Present Day)

In 2025, the market will continue serving the Melville community. Richard finds success in their 18-year longevity. Despite occasional dips and recent rainy weather, vendors remain committed. Even on rainy days, vendors like Estelle, Andrew, Laurel, Kagiso and others show up every Saturday, demonstrating remarkable dedication. Products you can find there amongst others are:

• Cheese

• Veggies

• Free-range organic chicken

• Free range eggs

• Chilli sauces

• Kimchi

• Honey

• Bread

• Soups, dips, crackers, rusks

• Books

• Thrift clothing

• Art

• Plants

• Succulents

• Samosas

• Biryani

• Knitted crocheted goods/toys

• Stationery

A substantial portion remains homemade and fresh produce! Vendors have built strong bonds, with Estelle and Laurel describing it as family-like, while Andrew The Beekeeper (featured in issue 23) highlighted the close vendor relationships. Estelle says they look out for each other and enjoy time together at the market.

Their vendor-friendly structure offers a massive advantage for newcomers - it's free to join, with only 10% of income payable above the R100 threshold. This creates a low barrier to entry for startups. With minimal expenses and no rent to pay, vendors even receive year-end holiday bonuses.

Hopes For The Future

Cathryn and Richard hope to see the market thrive for many more years. They remain optimistic and appeal to the community to support their artisans. Cathryn loves Melville and wants to revive that community feeling where you could "bump into at least 10 people I knew" when going out and at the market, giving her a "great feeling." 

Visit The Melville Artisanal Market

We think Melville is fortunate to have such wholesome experiences on our doorstep! The market's cycle of highs and lows mirrors our suburb's own journey. We must support our local markets and businesses, spread the word and bring vibrant energy back to our hood! The Market opens every Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm. To join as a vendor, find them on Facebook and Instagram or call 082 399 8126.

If you enjoyed today’s in-depth read consider buying us a coffee. 

What’s Happenin’ 🤔

We're seeing a quiet start to the new month but there’s lots of arts and crafts! Click here to see all the regular weekly gigs (Karaoke nights, Jazz sessions, Monday Comedy, Salsa Sundays, Museum Of Broken Hearts and more).

Melville Weather For The Week ☔️ 

Wednesday 

22° 🌡️ 14°  | 🌥️ |  🌧️ 58% | NNW 9 km/h 💨

Thursday  

20° 🌡️ 13° | 🌩️ | 🌧️ 80% | NNW 9 km/h 💨

Friday 

17° 🌡️ 12° | 🌧️ |  🌧️ 88% | N 19 km/h 💨

Saturday 

18° 🌡️ 12° | 🌧️ |  🌧️ 97% | NN 15 km/h 💨

Sunday

20° 🌡️ 12° | ⛅️ | 🌧️ 25% | NNE 9 km/h 💨

Monday 

26° 🌡️ 13° | 🌤️ |  🌧️ 41% | N 9 km/h 💨

Tuesday 

24° 🌡️ 12° | ⛅️ |  🌧️ 25% | NNW 13 km/h 💨

Live & Music Events Lowdown 🎸

Check out all the music gigs happening in the Ville below.

03/04 Thursday | 7.30 pm | Chiesa di PAZZO LUPi | George Mari & Friends | Tickets R180 online, R230 door

04/04 Friday | 7.30 pm | Chiesa di PAZZO LUPi | Mathunzi and Diteboho | Tickets R200 online, R250 door

04/04 | Friday | 6 pm | Smoking Kills Bar | LunÆ Lane and The Barcode Bandits | R50 before 8 pm, R80 after 8 pm

05/04 Saturday | 7.30 pm | Chiesa di PAZZO LUPi | Abathwebuli Trio Presents: Isidlo | Tickets R180 online, R230 door

For more updates as the week goes on, visit our instagram page @snapson7th

Civil Matters 👷‍♀️

CREASS Update On Neighbourhood Maintenance

CREASS Community Services has been working on our neighbourhood's upkeep.

They're running behind slightly because ongoing rains have stopped them from completing certain tasks.

Last week they scored a major win by fixing a good section of the Melville Koppies fence along Main Road. Now they're just waiting for more supplies before they can finish that whole side for good (we hope).

CREASS will tackle more tasks as the area dries up.

Thank you! 🙏

That's that! An April Fool's edition in the can. Thanks for tuning in.

Did you enjoy the read? If so, why not buy us a coffee?

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Til next Tuesday Mellies,

Stay creative, stay cool and stay community-centric!

Sala kakuhle✌️