The market, a one-stop shop for all your basic needs! From ground provisions to kitchenware to clothing, the market is the go-to place for any Jamaican looking to buy goods at a reasonable cost.

But, have you ever wondered what it’s like to work in a market?

In the spirit of Emanci-pendence, Our Today sat down with market vendor Shernette Riley to get the details of what life is really like selling daily in the market.

For 18 years, Shernette Riley has dedicated her life to the market.

Because of her mother, Riley was exposed to the environment from a tender age. She recalls many evenings, after school, helping her mother sell her goods.

Naturally, Riley gravitated to becoming a market vendor herself.

Now, as a mother of three beautiful children – Rihhaneika (11), Amelia (9) and Nathan (4) – the vendor describes her daily lifestyle as one with many ups and downs.

Though most would never even dream of waking up at 3 am,  Riley does this every time she is going to sell at the market.

Yep, you heard it right. Every time.

The market woman told Our Today that she wakes up at 3 am, starts selling at 4 am, and doesn’t pack up until much later down in the day.

The conditions can be uncomfortable too, as she went on to describe. Oftentimes, Riley uses a mere umbrella and tarpaulin to protect her from the raging sun.

In fact, with how horrible the conditions can get, the vendor hardly brings her children there.

“I want a better life for them,” Riley shared. ‘That’s why I send them to school.”

However, as with all bright-eyed children, her youngest, Nathan, always wants to go to market with Mommy.

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19

Like many others, Riley’s trade was deeply affected by the two-year pandemic.

With the previous surge in unemployment, many found themselves selling goods at the market just to survive.

This meant new competition for Riley.

As a result, Riley found herself buying fewer goods to sell and went from carrying home $50,000 over the course of two days to $20,000.

When asked how this affected her family, Riley shared that she took her three children out of preparatory school and enrolled them in a nearby primary.

With little help from the father, the market seller finds herself paying her sister $8,000 to aid and watch the kids.

Though COVID-19 took its toll, Riley says things are slowly getting better for her and her family.