Inside the Michael Finnegan Market Where Every Sale Counts

The Michael Finnegan Market is more than a place to buy fresh produce or pick up the catch of the day. It is a lively community where vendors know their regular customers by name, prices are often open to negotiation and every sale counts. For decades, the market has brought together hardworking vendors, careful shoppers and, of course, a healthy serving of friendly conversation. Some people come looking for the best bargain, others arrive already knowing exactly who they want to buy from. For many vendors, however, the market is not simply a workplace. It is where they have spent years building relationships, supporting their families and creating a way of life. In this week’s episode of Belize on Reel, News Five’s Shane Williams takes us inside the daily hustle, where loyal customers are valuable, competition is friendly but fierce and anyone who hesitates could lose the next sale.

 

Shane Williams, Reporting

“ Welcome to the Michael Finnegan Market, where you never know who you will meet, what you will meet, and there are a couple rules. One, the price is never the price, and two, make sure you never forget your market bag. Let’s go and see what’s happening inside the Michael Finnegan Market.”

 

Today, we are shopping for ingredients to make pico de gallo: tomatoes, cilantro, onions and habanero, but before we navigate the Finnegan Market, we had to meet one of its longtime residents. For more than thirty-seven years, Edith Brakeman has made her living here. She was selling there when it was still known as Queen Square Market.

 

Edith Brakeman, Vegetable Vendor

“I could remember first of all we mi de over da side, way over by where Hyde mi deh first. ‘Cause then first I use dto have wa lee kitchen there, right? From de I left the kitchen, and I decide because sake of the hot and cold, I decide to get in on the vegetable thing. We left from over there. Now we gone way by Pound Yard. Then time we mi got the big open spot where, like, the truck they used to come, but they used to park by like the. – you see where now how it situate over there it different because de da mi wa big open spot, and da de we used to deh. Then from de, when we shift, we come over the side where this da Finnegan Market now wi deh. But things still the go.”

 

And if you think market life is all smiles and friendly greetings, just ask Nadira Scott. She grew up in the rhythm of market life, where vendors compete every day for the most valuable thing of all: a loyal customer.

 

Nadira Scott, Fish Vendor

“When you quarrel  out ya because everybody for their own self.”

 

Shane Williams

“Weh wi quarrel bout out ya?”

 

Nadira Scott

“Who wa sell more.”

 

Shane Williams

“So the market have its own kind of life that every – How it work?”

 

Nadira Scott

“What! Yes man. Market da [Expletive]. If you noh fast, you no get no customers. No customers de deh!”

 

The market takes Kimilee Audinette back to childhood, when she visited with her father and giant turtles occupied the fish stalls.

 

Kimilee Audinette, Vendor/Fish Cleaner

“I was with my dad at the old market over, and the bocatoras, the turtle rather, the big turtle that they used to have at the old market. Sometimes I would wanna get on it, but my dad would not allow me, so I know it’s considered dangerous. And I used to watch them turn them over and just cut off their head.”

 

Those memories take her back to a time when the market was bustling from morning into the day.

 

Kimilee Audinette

“It was great. It wasn’t only good. It was great because then people would flow. The money would flow. And then sometime you not even have time to clean other people fish, so they would pack up their stuff and they would take it home. So, but now look around. You can see there’s no one out here buying.”

 

But where some vendors see a market that has changed, others see a place that is still full of opportunity. Abner Cienfuegos is one of the newer faces here. He has been selling for just three years and he is enjoying the experience.

 

Abner Cienfuegos, Vegetable Vendor

“My experience at the market, it’s a growing experience. Every time you come to market there’s something different. The prices fluctuate on and off, but overall it’s a beautiful experience because you get to meet people and you get to see a whole different culture coming out here.”

 

And Abner says there is one thing every shopper should know before coming through these doors. Don’t be afraid to bargain.

 

Abner Cienfuegos

“Go through and take a walk through, see the prices, price match and you can make a little bargain. This is what market’s about. You can bargain. When you go to a grocery shop, what’s the price, that’s the price. But here at the market you can bargain because it’s local produce made from Belizeans for Belizeans.”

 

At the Michael Finnegan Market, the price on the table is often just the beginning of the bargain. Whether you come to sell, shop or simply explore, there is always another deal, story or familiar face waiting around the corner. Shane Williams for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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