The Manchester neighborhood has been wanting for a grocery store for a long time. Karnage and D’Angelo are not known for waiting for others to get things done, and realized that starting Richmond Grower’s Market was the logical next move in their growing joint ventures as Sparkle and Sweat Productions and for the Manchester community. While a weekly farmer’s market is no replacement for a 7 day a week grocery store, it helps. Richmond Grower’s Market plans to include EBT
We anticipate that others on the Southside who are missing a regular Saturday Farmer’s Market will also come to the Richmond Grower’s Market and we are excited to hang out on Saturdays yall .
The Richmond Grower’s Market will be a producer-only market and focus primarily on produce, baked goods, and other food items, while the Richmond Maker’s Market, which occurs on the first Saturday of each month, will continue to focus on handmade local goods including crafts, apparel, jewelry, tchotchkes, candles, soaps, and more. The first Saturday of each month during the farmer’s market season will feature the Richmond Grower’s Market from 8-12, running right into the Richmond Maker’s Market from 12-6 at Basic City Beer Co.
Legend Brewing Co. is Virginia’s oldest continuously running brewery and a stalwart feature in Manchester since 1994. Recent years brought uncertainty at Legend, with real estate deals and potential developments putting the restaurant and brewery, and the viewshed, at risk. For now, those storms have passed, and Legend Brewing Co. is more determined than ever to serve the surrounding community. The farmer’s market was their idea, but once Marie and Mo get their teeth into an idea there is no stopping them. Stay tuned for new Saturday brunch options, special brews, and more from Legend Brewing Co. during the market season.
Marie D’Angelo of the Richmond Maker’s Market and Mo Karnage of Karnage Construction are teaming up to bring this banger to the southside. These two have joined forces to create the soon-to-open By Any Beans Necessary coffee shop book store in Highland Park and the VA Pride Parade coming on June 2, 2025, while both also running their own businesses.
This dynamic duo combines sparkle and sweat to bring to life local entrepreneurial businesses that support community needs as well as serve as launchpads for careers and other small businesses. D’Angelo and Karnage share a passion for making space through these enterprises for underserved and underrepresented groups such as women, people of color, and lgbtq people.
Marie’s Richmond Maker’s Market has been running since 2019, expanding beyond the confines of Basic City Beer through partnering with neighbor Legend Brewing Company. The Maker’s Market umbrella has since grown to include a Waynesboro Basic City Maker’s Market, special 2 day pride events in June and September, called The Queer Weekend (originally named The Big Gay Weekend) monthly craft nights at Benchtop Brewing, and markets in partnership with the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen.
Karnage Construction is Virginia’s Queerest Construction Company. Karnage Construction is a Class A Contractor specializing in historic preservation work but offering full-service General Contractor residential services and will turn 11 in 2025. Karnage Construction is queer and nonbinary-owned and works to hire folks who haven’t been given opportunities in the construction industry due to sexism and homophobia. Additionally, Karnage Construction incorporates its prison abolition beliefs into practice, hiring incarcerated individuals who are eligible for work release, previously incarcerated folks, etc.
Both D’Angelo and Karnage have experience managing Farmer’s Markets, organizing large events, and vending at markets.
Sparkle and Sweat Productions looks forward to bringing this opportunity for food accessibility, community, supporting small farms, and expanding the positive impact they can have on Richmond.
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