By Mattie Hurt
Staff Writer
Winston-Salem, a town built on many local businesses. One of these local businesses has created a huge impact on the community with its growth in popularity over the years. This community is called Cobblestone Farmers Market.
In 2012, Winston-Salem fostered a new local institution, Cobblestone Farmers Market. Cobblestone started as a small organization, but over the years, they have undergone many changes to benefit not only itself but more importantly, its community.
¨We run Snap electronic benefit transfer through our market,¨ Cobblestone Farmers Market manager Arianna Ayuso said. ¨This is used for folks that are using what used to be called food stamps, and they receive additional dollars to shop locally here.¨
Ayuso is a strong woman who has built Cobblestone throughout the years to thrive. In Ayuso’s journey towards success she has had to overcome many obstacles. Regardless, she has battled through to keep the market alive and growing daily.
¨People thought we weren’t a necessity, that we were an event, not a place for those to shop and buy their goods at,¨ Ayuso said. ¨We had to reach out to our local government and get papers saying we are a local grocer.¨
After working with the government in trying to save the Farmers Market it was told to her that she would have to move out and relocate. Being kicked out of Old Salem wasn’t the end of Cobblestone’s journey. Ayuso didn’t believe that Cobblestone was done growing as a community. She came to terms that this was a sign for change. She took this as an opportunity for growth and new potential in the market.
¨We set up out here in a place that’s maybe not as developed as we wanted to be, but I think we ended up where we needed to be because we had outgrown the Old Salem space,¨ Ayuso said, ¨At the time sure, it wasn’t ideal, but now I definitely see it growing even more than it already has.¨
Many vendors of Cobblestone have used the space as an opportunity to grow themselves and to grow their business as a whole, trying something new that they haven’t experienced before. Grace Locklear, Owner of Golden Magnolia bodycare business, expressed her perspective on how the COVID-19 virus affected her and how it gave her a new way to go about her career.
¨I had a few food service jobs, but due to Covid, I lost both and was unemployed, and had a lot of free time, so I thought I would try to do something for myself,” Locklear, said. “I began to do this, and it’s just continued to blossom from there.¨
Cobblestone has always been a place for people to not only put themselves out there and express their love for the earth, but also a place to grow their circle, along with themselves. People go into Cobblestone knowing it’ll be great for their business. They’ll find new friends and get to not only know more people in their community but also become more involved.
¨In the beginning, I wanted to just expand my business, but the longer I’ve been here, the more just its become a really valuable thing,” Locklear said. “Not only for my business as a sales channel but just as a way to enrich my personal growth, along with getting to know those around me and the amazing things they do for the community.¨
Cobblestone, a place where people come together to give support to each other and grow a community. Whenever you’re in Winston-Salem, stop by on a Saturday morning and immerse yourself in not only amazing vendors but also an amazing community.