The t-shirts become a ‘thing’ at Sunday Southshore Market

Sunday Southshore Market co-founder Melanie Morrison gets her t-shirt customized. Michelle Traphagen Photos

The founders of a popular market have made a name for themselves for their t-shirts.

Melanie Morrison and Michael Parker, founders of the Sunday Southshore Market that is held monthly on Shell Point Road and U.S. 41 in Ruskin have made a name for themselves — not just for the popular market but also for the t-shirts they wear each month.  The t-shirts have become an item at the market.

Previously Morrison and Parker would think up a theme for the t-shirts they would wear each month.

"Some of the other t-shirts, we've kind of made fun of some of the vendors you know?  And now is their chance to get back at us,” Michael said. 

“So we have the marker necklace and we can’t look at them until the end of the day,” Morrison interjected.

That’s right — the necklace contains a Sharpie permanent black marker.  The t-shirts for the April market, worn by both of the organizers, would begin as a blank slate and end as…well, nobody knew how it would end.  The vendors at the market had all day to write on the t-shirts that both Morrison and Parker wore during the market.

“Every month, expectation rose based on the t-shirts from the previous market,” Parker said. “Every market has a themed t-shirt and this one is all vendor driven.”

“So yeah, we just have fun with them but this time we decided it was their turn,” Morrison added.

The Sunday Southshore Market is held the last Sunday of each month.  The next market will be held on May 27.