PUBLISHED JULY 21, 2016

Unique finds and friendly faces at the Coquina Beach Market

By ANDREA SHAY

ANDREA SHAY PHOTO
Alan Feivelson talks with customers about the wide variety of products at Frivolous Fruit Products, owned by he and Charles Cox. They make 27 different kinds of jams and jellies whose flavors include Berry Blend (made with four berries and cognac), Chocolate Raspberry, Strawberry Daiquiri and French Banana, made with banana, oranges, lemon and fresh vanilla bean.

Even in the heat of summer, Coquina Beach’s Sunday “Beach Market” still attracts plenty of vendors and visitors. Open from November through the end of July, the Coquina Beach Market sits on the beach’s south side with the Gulf of Mexico just several yards west of the market.

The market is situated under a canopy of Australian pine trees that shade visitors from the intense Florida sun. Vendors sell everything from vintage signs to exotic jams. Vandy Comtois, owner of International Bazaar (aka Intl. “B” zar) sells fair trade goods from around the world, and Joseph Kreisel of Pebble Mosaics sells his unique stonemasonry. Some vendors also sell antiques and collectibles, and visitors who get hungry or thirsty can stop at Coquina Cafe, located just a minute’s walk north of the market.

Many of the vendors are passionate about what they sell, making their work a true labor of love. Comtois said, “Fair trade is an awesome thing to do because you’re really helping people who — before that — couldn’t make a living, and now they can actually support themselves and their families.” In addition to offering fair trade products, she also gives 10% of her profits back to organizations in their country of origin. In India, the money goes toward healthcare while in Ghana the money goes toward clean-water wells.

Vandy Comtois, owner of International Bazaar, talks with customers about the fair trade products she sells. Updates on available products can be found on the business’ Facebook page under the name “Intl. ‘B’ zar.”

Alan Feivelson and Charles Cox, co-owners of Frivolous Fruit Products, sell jellies and jams made from 200-year-old recipes with “no preservatives, no dyes and no concentrates.” Feivelson boasts, “[It’s] the best jam you’ve ever had in your life.” Many of their products are versatile enough to be used for both meats and sweets. The owners say their mango pineapple jam makes a great Hawaiian chicken glaze, while their cranberry coffee jam can be used as a glaze on beef, pork or poultry.

Feivelson and Cox suggest that people make a day of coming out to the market. Visitors can ride a free trolley that runs from City Pier near the north end of Anna Maria Island all the way to Coquina Beach, which lies just south of Cortez Beach and Historic Bridge Street.

“During the summer, it’s a fun local thing to do,” said Nancy Ambrose, the market’s manager. During the winter months, the market gets considerably busier, featuring up to 90 vendors at the height of the season. “People from all over the world come here,” she continued. “[Coquina Beach] was recently chosen as one of the top ten beaches.” Fortunately for visitors, Coquina Beach also offers over 1,500 parking spaces.

The entrance from the north side of the market lies just a minute’s walk south of Coquina Cafe.

Vendors love the market not just because of its location, but also because of its collaborative nature. “It’s a family,” said Feivelson. “All of these vendors are like family. We get together and go swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. We go out together to restaurants.”

Ambrose added, “We all work together. We’re all excited to see each other. It’s a pleasure to come out and see every one every Sunday. They all help each other. It’s really a great group of people.”