The Whys and Wherefores of Hout Bay’s Trendiest Market

Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay is considered home to a diverse group of traders. Some of these traders have been with the market since the very beginning, and they wholeheartedly believe that the market has enabled them to get to where they are today.

These market members describe Bay Harbour Market as "authentic, well-managed and community-focused". This market provides such a positive example in the community that even visitors to Hout Bay can see why it has been there for so long and will continue to be popular in the coming years. A wide range of traders sell their wares at the market including Afri-Chic by Sharon Youngman, Matthew Bell Art by Matthew Bell, and Swing by Nicole Swing and Allan Maritz.

Matthew Bell Art (Matthew Bell)

Matthew Bell is a pencil sketch artist who captures a variety of Southern African Bushveld trees, animals, and birds. He then develops prints and other products using his sketches. Bell strives to capture every detail in his subjects, resulting in an extremely realistic style. The entire collection of individually signed prints is available at the market.

Bell claims that the people are one of the main reasons why the market is so well-liked, and this trader shows his admiration for each person at Bay Harbour Market. "All of the management, staff, and traders are always friendly and in general just a really nice bunch of people," Bell stated. He is genuinely grateful to Bay Harbour Market as it is what kick-started his business. “To this day it is still my best selling 'stockist' and I have almost 40 stockists around the country,” says Bell. He also mentioned that the market is a place of good business and attracts a lot of traffic especially local and international tourists.

Afri-Chic (Sharon Youngman)

Afri-Chic features a range of jewellery made of aluminium and coated in silver, as well as handmade leather bracelets, silver African pendants, leather watches, ponchos, and beautiful scarves, as well as handbags and belts.

Sharon Youngman, the owner of Afri-Chic, has been a trader at the market since day one and expresses her gratitude to Bay Harbour Market for this incredible journey and for putting her on the map. "I now have my own brand and also supply game lodges with my jewellery," says Youngman. She added that she started out with just R1000 as startup capital 11 years ago and that Bay Harbour Market is to thank for the fact that she now owns two proprietary limited companies.

Swing Cape Town (Nikki Swing & Allan Maritz)

Swing is a lifestyle brand that integrates interior design and décor with fashion. Their signature map-fabric cushion covers, 'happy sacks,' and waistcoats, as well as a variety of other cushions, women’s, and men's fashion, are hugely popular.

Swing has been with Bay Harbour Market for about 13 years and Nikki Swing, co-owner of Swing, did the décor and design for the brand's original founders. Swing is known for its bespoke tailor-made waistcoats, ties, and jackets made from high-quality fabrics, as well as personalised wardrobe advice and interior design consultation.

They used to focus primarily on producing men's and women's clothing from natural fabrics that was easy to wear, fashionable, and appealing to a variety of age groups. Now, they also produce home décor, and this includes plush furnishings like feathered cushions.

The reason why Swing chose to join Bay Harbour Market is because they “believe in the concept of the market, small businesses marketing and the creative environment”. For this trader, what stands out about the market is that it is a bustling local tourist attraction and according to Allan, Bay Harbour Market is well-known and a top market with a safe, and uplifting environment. They also believe that the market provides a good platform for growth and has aided in the establishment of Swing as a brand.

We are honoured to have these extraordinary vendors as part of our family, and we are proud that they chose us as their market of choice. We contributed to their journey, and they contributed to the success and longevity of the Bay Harbour Market.

You are welcome to stop by the market and meet these exceptional traders for yourself. Bay Harbour Market is open every Friday between 17:00 – 21:00, and every Saturday to Sunday from 09:30 to 16:00.

For more information, please do visit Bay Harbour Market at http://bayharbour.co.za/ and follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bayharbour, Twitter https://twitter.com/bayharbourmkt and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bayharbourmarket/.