The start of fall brings the start of the Chant Market, where once a month Prince Lawn fills with students, staff, music and vendors to celebrate student ambition and creativity.
In November 2023, the first Chant Market was held by the Recreation and Outdoor Center as a way for students to trade their gently used outdoor gear and equipment. The market quickly transformed into a gear swap and art market, so a variety of students could gain experience selling their products.
The market was held two more times in the spring of 2024, before becoming a monthly event that fall. Since its creation, the Chant Market has continued to gain popularity amongst students looking to both sell and shop.
In the beginning, there were only 16 student vendors, but the market has since grown to consistently support over 20 vendors each month. The number of students stopping by the Chant Market has also grown.
“It’s been incredible to build out the brand and have people know what this is… We have a lot more people now who just walk through and vibe with it,” Outdoor Recreation Coordinator Brian Nicosia said.
Overseeing the Chant Market, Nicosia said the main mission is to bring students and the greater Coastal Carolina community together to support student entrepreneurs who are looking to gain experience in marketing and entrepreneurship.
The Chant Market gives students a low-risk opportunity to sell their products. Such products range from handmade jewelry and crafts to thrifted and upcycled clothing.
Chloe Bertolami, a junior entrepreneurial management major, who makes handmade silver jewelry, said the market has helped her make connections and grow her business.
“Meeting a lot of people has opened a lot of doors for me,” Bertolami said. “I meet photographers who want to take my picture, I meet models who want to wear my jewelry, and I’m much more comfortable selling in person. It’s nice to see the people who are actually buying my stuff.”
Bertolami echoes the dedicated spirit of many Coastal students through her work.
“You just have to believe that even when you fry the hell out of a piece of silver, burn it and ruin it, that you’ve just gotta try it again and keep going because it’ll work out,” Bertolami said.
Senior marketing major Ben Myers, who advertises his own clothing line, said the dedication and accepting nature of the school and the Chant Market drew him in.
“Everyone here has their own unique character. In my four years of being here I feel like the biggest thing is being able to fully express yourself,” Myers said. “Everyone here is very cool and accepting, I feel like that’s the best part about this market.”
The Chant Market has given many students the opportunity to turn something they once did just for fun into another form of income.
Junior business management major Avery Snyder was able to take shell painting, an activity she enjoyed doing with her mom, and turn it into a small business.
“The biggest reason I love to do this market is because there’s so many people here, I feel like I get to meet so many new faces and talk to everyone,” Snyder said. “Through this I’ve gained a following on Instagram and have gotten to do custom orders for lots of students.”
By selling at the Chant Market, students can build a base for their business and gain experience that’s useful when selling at other local markets and online.
This is the case for students like Emma Strom, a senior elementary education major, who is the creator of her own crochet business, Froggy in the Rain Crochet. Strom participates in Myrtle Beach markets, the Socastee Heritage Festival and advertises via Instagram.
“My goal is to make myself happy as well as other people,” Strom said.
Nicosia said that overall, he is very proud of the Chant Market and how much it’s grown. He believes it has accomplished the main goal of bringing people together and giving students an inviting and low-risk environment to promote their products.
He notes there is, however, always room for improvement. He hopes that in the future there will be more student clubs and organizations involved, as well as students who specialize in services and live art such as photography, fortune telling and caricature art.
The next Chant Market will be held on Thursday.
Students interested in becoming a vendor can find more information on the CCU Recreation website.
