Etsy Market takes shape in Halifax

First-ever Made in Canada Market brings Atlantic artists and enthusiasts together

Photo by Paola Tolentino

A website where you can buy anything from Harry Potter-themed wire jewelry to vintage prom dresses to handmade crotchet hats that look like owls is pretty unique. Yet all those items are easy to find in the online marketplace, Etsy.

On September 27^th, Halifax will host its first Made in Canada Etsy Market at the Halifax Forum Bingo Hall. The event will include over 50 local sellers of artistic and vintage items, all connected by the fact that they sell on the popular website, Etsy.

“As a buyer, it’s so easy to find great gifts. Something you wouldn’t think of might just pop up in a search, and buying off the site is really easy to do,” says local Etsy-user-turned-entrepreneur Dawn-Louise Hunter.

Hunter, a Dalhousie graduate, started making her fashionable bridal hangers for her wedding after seeing a similar item on Etsy. After seeing the outrageous shipping costs from the US to Canada, she decided to make her own. Other people loved the idea as well, and this past summer she formally got her business licence and an Etsy shop. Dress the Dress, Hunter’s shop, offers gift-wrapped, personalized hangers with 15 differentcolours of wire.

The idea of having a physical market appeals to her.

“I love customers. Especially with my product.

I love weddings, love being able to give brides a good detail. Being at a market, people can come and chat with you, see and feel your products, and it’s easier for them to do custom orders because they’re talking with the creator.”

That being said, she’s very happy with the flexibility of selling online. “I like Etsy because you can make your own hours. So having something that is only one day, the Made in Canada Market is perfect for my busy lifestyle.”

The Made In Canada Etsy Market takes place in the Halifax Forum Bingo Hall from 10am to 3 p.m. on Sept. 27. Check out their website and Facebook page (Etsy Made in Canada: Halifax) for more info.