The Community of Findlay Market

Sometimes I think Findlay Market should have its own zip code. It's a small town within itself. Merchants are there when the sun comes up, and many of them are still there as the sun sets. They share common concerns. When a merchant is ill or has a family issue, everyone cares. When someone has a new grandchild, everyone celebrates. Dating, marriage, divorce, agreements, arguments, partnerships, and contracts have all occurred within and among the merchants. And you can be sure, just as in any community, gossip has been known to be exchanged.
The definition of community also includes "sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals." The merchants of Findlay Market definitely share the goal of sustaining the market as the focal point of Over-the-Rhine. They relish the tradition and share the passion generated by over 160 years of Findlay Market history. Change comes slowly, after careful consideration, but it does occur as everyone adjusts to new shopping habits, preferences, and procedures.
In addition to emotional support, merchants support each other financially. Did you know that several of Daisy Mae's best customers are actually other Findlay Market merchants? It's not uncommon for other merchants to purchase fresh produce from Daisy Mae's, rice from Saigon Market, beef from Eckerlin's Meats, or spices from Colonel De to use in dishes prepared to sell at Findlay Market. More than once, I've heard one merchant yell across the aisle, "Toss me a pound of bacon!" Why go to a wholesale restaurant supplier when everything you need is available from your neighbor?
Findlay Market merchants take the "Shop Local" message to heart. They support each other and all benefit from their cooperative efforts. More than 35 individual businesses all work together to survive not only individually, but also as a community.

And Now A Word About Us...

I've spent the last few posts writing about our staff so I guess it's only fair that I tell you a little bit about us. Barry was born in Ft. Knox, KY and raised in Cincinnati. He worked with his dad in the homebuilding business before starting a career at Cincinnati Milacron. At the same time, he completed his degree in Business from the University of Cincinnati.
I was born and raised in Granite City, Illinois. I attended Miami University, got my degree in Elementary Education, took a teaching job in Mt. Healthy, met Barry, and the rest is history.
When the entrepreneurial bug hit us, we started our own homebuilding company and built and remodeled homes for about 25 years. When the building industry took a downturn, another opportunity knocked and we switched gears to start Daisy Mae's at Findlay Market. We've determined we're the only homebuilder turned tomato seller in the Cincinnati area!
The last five years have been a time of learning, organizing, sweating, cooperating, and imagining. We're determined to make fresh produce easily accessible so look for us to continue to innovate, experiment, and fine-tune our fresh produce market until we have removed all obstacles. For a small business, the work never ends, and at times, the monetary rewards are minimal. We've realized, however, that the relationships you develop when running a small business are what you value over time. We know it's not about the houses...or about the tomatoes...It's about the people.
Thanks for shopping local and thanks for supporting us at Findlay Market!

Five Things You Should Know about Selling Houses and Tomatoes

Before we made a sharp turn in 2009 to start Daisy Mae's Market and enter the fresh produce business, my husband and I spent 24 years in the building and remodeling business. We suddenly went from selling $450,000 homes to selling $.75 tomatoes and managed to survive. Looking back at the last five years, I wonder how in the world we did it. Then I realize that much of our success in making the transition stems from what we've learned along the way.
Whether you're selling houses or tomatoes, these are my five bits of wisdom that I think apply to any small business:
1. Know your product. Know everything you can about it. Read, read, and read some more. Google can be your best friend. Learning never stops.
2. Know people. Remember names. Get to know your customers, suppliers, and your competition. Sincerely ask how people are doing. Care. (Remember the names of kids and you'll get bonus points.)
3. Know your limits. You will never finish everything you want to finish in one day. You will never have all the money you think you need. The sooner you realize that everything needs to be broken down into manageable parts, the happier you'll be.
4. Know what has happened in the past. Keep a paper trail, or in today's world, a digital trail. Get organized. Don't reinvent the wheel. Whether you are completing a credit application or doing your taxes, scribbled notes on Post-Its don't cut it.
5. Know that someone is always watching. Think before you speak or act. In today's world, everything is shared. Make sure what's shared about your business is something that makes you proud.

When Your Name's on the Store...

I remember a tv commercial from a few years back that featured Radar O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff) of "Mash" fame. I can't remember the sponsor (not good for the ad agency), but I do remember the premise. Radar answered one phone line with the company name. When the caller asked for "Shipping and Receiving," he'd put the call on hold...He might pick up another phone line, put that on hold, return to the first call with a slightly different voice, and then reply, "This is Shipping and Receiving." Then he'd return to the second line with another voice and say, "This is Accounts Payable." Phones kept ringing and he'd keep answering in different roles at the same company. Radar was wearing all the hats of a small businessman.

When I think of that commercial, I realize that's exactly what we at Daisy Mae's Market do every day. We wear lots of hats. The same people that you see at the Findlay Market location are the people who manage our Purchasing Department, our Sales Department, our Marketing Department, our Accounts Payable Department, our Maintenance Department, our Payroll Department, our Accounts Receivable Department, our Human Resource Department, and our Administrative Department. When something needs to be done, WE do it...

I look around Findlay Market, and I see 37 other merchants doing the same thing. Some of them have been there for years; others are just starting out...Either way, they're wearing all the hats year-round for 6 or 7 days a week. Sure, some may use outside resources to help with some tasks...But the ultimate responsibility lies with each business owner to see that what needs to be done is done and, most importantly, to see that it's done right. I guess it's like another tv ad I remember: When your name's on the store, you care a lot more.