Durban - A couple of friends are sitting on milk carton crates, falafels in hand, laughter on their faces, while music by Nje! plays in the background. A few steps away, two teenage girls are eating cake, one saying: “OMG, it’s soooo good!” In the shed, it’s a bustle of activity. An old lady bumps into me, her proteas scratching my arm.
A few metres away, there’s a long queue, but instead of grumpy faces, there’s excitement. And that’s the general feeling about Durban’s new cultural revival spot, Rivertown, and the new The Morning Trade market. Open on Sundays from 8am to 2.30pm, the market is the brainchild of Anna Savage who brought Durban I Heart Market. And if you thought I Heart Market was popular, you haven’t been to The Morning Trade. It’s sometimes so packed and with so many long lines of people waiting for some of Durban’s best artisanal food, yet you actually don’t mind.
On the market’s Facebook page there is nothing but glowing praise from Durbanites.
“So great to see Durbs city centre starting to be restored & revived!! Great morning market,” wrote Lauren Searson.
Une Butcher wrote: “What a great market it was last weekend! I’m from Cape Town, new to Durban and it’s great seeing this happening here. It’s needed to get Durban central cleaned up! Keep it going and we’ll keep supporting.”
Julie Davis said: “Great to have a cultural-type revival in Durban. We sorely need more of the arts on display in our little fishing village!”
The enthusiasm has delighted Anna. “Durban’s reception of The Morning Trade has been amazing and I couldn’t be happier,” she said. “We love opening the gates to a throng of enthusiastic customers. I believe Durban’s been waiting a long time for this type of market. We finally have somewhere where they can source top quality, farm fresh ingredients and delectable homemade specialties on a weekly basis, as well as being a cool space to meet friends and family while enjoying wholesome, locally produced foods.”
The Morning Trade is one of the highlights at Durban’s new arts and culture revival district, Rivertown. Rivertown is Durban’s answer to Cape Town’s Woodstock and Old Biscuit Mill and Joburg’s popular Maboneng district.
Rivertown and Maboneng are both the brainchild of Jonathan Liebman of Propertuity. He has made inroads in revamping the once unloved Joburg city centre into a popular arts and culture precinct that people from all walks of life have come to enjoy.
It’s the same with Rivertown, which is on Morrison Street, a few metres away from the Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC. The reason it’s such a hit is that it’s in downtown Durban. Hardly anyone wants to go there mainly because the empty streets and passageways are uninviting and one can’t deny the danger it sometimes poses to people. Having been mugged several times near the area, it really has not been one of my favourite places to be in.
Yet a few weeks after The Morning Trade opened, there’s a general easiness in being in the area, even during the week when there’s little activity. During the recent architecture conference, when the market was launched, the area and its beer hall were buzzing.
The whole precinct is being revamped. Buildings will have to be restored and the area cleaned up. The shed where The Morning Trade is held was used by a courier company for storage. It’s now a place where Durbanites can get some of the best local produce. And that’s where the success of the market lies.
Anna said Rivertown was one of the best things to happen to Durban and it was high time the city had a cultural revival precinct.
“Rivertown is a great concept for Durban. It is easily accessible no matter what direction you come from. It’s close to the beach and the ICC and provides a great backdrop for some interesting and exciting arts and culture activities for Durban. It is great to feel the energy back in Durban.”
Having been to the market every week since it opened, I’ve watched the crowds growing bigger. I can’t help but wonder if there will be a lull in a few months and we will soon get over it.
“At The Morning Trade we believe that good quality food and produce will never go out of fashion,” Anna said. “Food is a necessity and often grocery shopping can be a tedious task. But by providing good quality food and fresh produce in an interesting environment, we hope to keep them coming back for more. We hope The Morning Trade is on every Durbanite’s ‘must do’ list on a Sunday. We will continue to source good quality food products and encourage and inspire delicious meals. We plan to continually inspire Durban with delicious ingredients and recipes and keep them informed of food and health trends via our website and social media.”
The quality of the food and other artisanal goods sold at the market are just some of the key things that people have pointed out. Anna said that choosing the best providers ranked very high in their checklist. “We look for the cream of the crop – food producers that are making the best products with the best ingredients.”
Some of the popular stalls, like Falafel Fundi, Margaret Wasserfall’s baked goods, the pancake and lemonade stands, and also Bean Green coffee, provide something that we won’t get in a mall. The meats from Col’tempo Salumeria are popular as are the protea and the homemade LegenDairy ice-cream stands.
Now the wait is on for the whole precinct to be revamped.
Sunday Tribune