As the sun shone down on Fremont’s Ohlone College parking lot on the morning of May 9, vendors gathered bright and early to set up their booths for the Ohlone College Flea Market.
The event takes place every second Saturday from March through November, featuring local small businesses, garage sellers and artwork. This time, however, the highlight of the market was the local students who were invited to showcase their own entrepreneurial skills.
“The YouthPrenuer event has been going on for three years now, and is hosted twice a year,” said Marissa Romano, the market’s site supervisor who organized the event. “We invite youth who are 18 years old or younger, allowing them to learn how to sell, connect and engage with customers, how to handle money, and how to market themselves.”
The market served as a second chance for the young participants. Initially, the YouthPrenuer market was scheduled for April 11, but unexpected rain and wind forced many of the vendors to pack up their booths and leave early. The market’s organizers sought to give them another chance at fully participating in the event.
The fair took place from 9am to 2pm, with locals and families flowing in as the event went on. It included music, food trucks, a bouncy house and face painting. The participating youth vendors showcased a variety of work, ranging from homemade goods and crafts to old toys and belongings that they wanted to resell.
Paige and Cassidy Wong, sisters aged 11 and 8 who attend school in Dublin, showcased their small business, Handmaker’s Dream, where they sell hairclips, keychains and jewelry boxes. “Every weekend, we make them together by hand,” said Paige.
They set up a booth next to their friends from school, siblings Aanya and Anuj Batra, who were selling handmade jewelry, bracelets, bookmarks and paintings. “I really like making arts and crafts, and I’m really excited to be making money from it,” said Aanya.
Reese Romano, a seventh grader at Bret Harte Middle School, who was there at the first YouthPrenuer event, noticed a big difference. “It’s all sunny now, and there have been a lot more customers today,” he said.
He was there selling books, board games and shoe charms, and he said that the experience taught him how to engage with people visiting his booth, including a memorable interaction with a customer who used sign language.
Arush Doshi, a tenth grader at Irvington High School, was at the fair with his younger brother and mom, selling 3-D printed keychains and potted plants that his family had been growing at home. They run a small business together called “Doshi Brothers.” He noted, “I think the most fun part is interacting with customers and learning about their stories, with plants. We would definitely come back in the future.”
Romano, reflecting on the success and turnout of the May flea market, noted, “None of the youth vendors were sad about the rain—they were more eager to try again. That’s one message we wanted to tell the youth. It rained, but you just gotta keep your chin up.”
