Gengxin News 02｜Micro Markets in Alleys

This article is included in the 02 issue of Gengxin News.
About Gengxin News: A local publication belonging to Xinwu, I hope to disturb the locality through the publication, and continue to pay attention to the people and things in the locality. Trying to understand the texture of the development of new houses based on agriculture, and trying to understand new houses with different aspects in various modes, with care for people and land, I hope that this care is not limited to words but deeply cultivated in the heart.

At five or six o'clock in the morning, the sun rises late in winter, and the sky is dimly illuminated, and the cold air touching the skin makes the unwake cells alive. There are only a few pedestrians and vehicles on the road. The small alley between Hongji Clinic and Sanxinxing is quietly moving. The terrazzo floor is particularly prominent compared to the black and gray asphalt of the other alleys and roads. In a trance, several figures and vehicles are slowing down. Slowly entering the previously empty sidewalk, the alley that is spacious for pedestrians gradually ushered in crowded and lively.

Small but beautiful market

The alley is located in the urban area of Xinwu. There are many choices around the traditional market, which is familiar to residents. Unlike general supermarket chains or wholesalers, the vendors in the alley are mostly self-produced and sold. The variety of commodities may not be complete, but they are small, beautiful and complete. Winter is a good season for vegetables to be abundant, and each small stall has its own items for customers to choose from. After approaching, the vendors are displaying the items on the stall. The sidewalks are covered with various color linen bags next to each other. For fresh vegetables harvested in the evening or early in the morning, some vendors will also arrange the harvested vegetables in baskets, and when they are ready, they are ready to welcome the crowds of the morning market.

Diverse composition of vendors

The composition of street vendors is quite diverse, and the majority of them are women. These vendors gather here from different places, such as Shezi, Tsinghua, Houhu, Fuyuan, Yongan, etc. They are already at the age of having grandchildren at home. Several vendors came out to set up stalls after taking their grandsons to primary school at home. Among them, the oldest is Grandpa Cai, who is in his 80s and still diligently brings vegetables grown in his garden to sell here on holidays. .

In addition, it is worth mentioning that the type of street vendor is not the same as imagined. At the entrance is Aunt Huang Xiuhua's Hakka rice snack, and if you go a little further on the holiday, you will find Aunt Xie Yueying's steamed buns, and you may encounter a folding table full of freshly packaged flat food . The rest such as selling fish, selling chicken (eggs) or products related to the festival, such as glutinous rice balls, will appear in the scenery of the alley, and it is always easy to encounter unexpected harvests when you come here during the holidays. Near noon, the sun slanted into the front of the alley, and the vendors began to move their seats to avoid direct sunlight. The active attack of the sun also revealed the time for the stalls to retreat. Goods that were not sold out were given to each other, or sold in a half-buy, half-give-away method before the stall was closed.

Ways of transportation for street vendors

After 11 o'clock, the locomotives loaded with goods were pulled into the alley one after another to load all the equipment. Occasionally, I was amazed at how to put the seemingly complex merchandise on one locomotive for a single trip, and all the answers may come from These vendors have years of experience and special storage skills, while vendors with more complex items are transported by vehicles, and the alleys are small and small.

It can also accommodate vehicle entry and exit. On weekdays, the vendors are concentrated near the other side of Zhongzheng Road. However, in addition to the crowds on holidays, the number of vendors will be one to two times larger than that on weekdays. It has become a micro market outside the market. During the holidays, the vendors arrive earlier to get a good seat, and the vendors are next to each other. At the same time, they will consign their goods to the neighboring vendors, and weave a micro-network in the form of mutual assistance. Each other's stalls come and go.

Most of the customers who come to patronize are regular customers, and some even come from far away from Taipei. In the hustle and bustle of conversations, the alley vividly interprets the modern history of the micro market. With different journeys, we will continue to gather more people's memories through Gengxin News, and welcome more people to participate.

street vendor portrait

Supplement: Issue 02 can be viewed on Issuu. It will be published in the spring of 2020. The production of this issue is an opportunity for my university to step into the field. On the one hand, I want to record it selfishly, and on the other hand, there are too many files in the computer. If I don't take the opportunity to save her, it may take more effort to find her in the future. If you have the opportunity, you may wish to take a walk in this mini market. If you are willing to ask for paper publications, you can also let me know~ Let’s see how to contact~