ROCHESTER — Growing up in Taipei, Taiwan, Tiffany Alexandria loved going to night markets with the organic way people gathered to offer wares and the community built among people from different backgrounds.
And the food, wonderful, scrumptious food.
Alexandria, who moved to her husband's hometown in Rochester five years ago, missed having that kind of access to hidden treats. As a professional foodie, Alexandria blogs about, photographs and consults with businesses large and small on how to present and improve the things we eat.
"I just wanted to be able to eat more, but we don't really have a strong incubator in Rochester for food businesses or micro businesses in general," she said.
That's what led her to create her own version of a night market last year, providing an opportunity for area residents of color to sell their own food, clothing, crafts and other wares.
Now in its second year, the Night Market continues to expand and draw residents from across the state.
Alexandria spent about six sleepless weeks bringing the first Night Market to fruition with help from Experience Rochester, the city's tourism bureau and Mayo Civic Center operators. That first event shattered everyone's expectations. Alexandria estimated about 500 people would show up, but the event drew over 8,000 and vendors ran out of food in about a half-hour.
The secret to the event's success lay in its untapped market.