"In my own steps of coming out, a seed was planted early on to say, 'What if we did this and it was just Queer people?" Weber said. "'What if we started something that you could come to, knowing it was a Queer market, Queer run, exclusively Queer vendored, as Gay as you can get?"
The market takes place primarily at Stoup Brewing on Capitol Hill, although it's expanding slowly throughout Seattle. Featuring everything from clothes and crafts to sculptures and tattoos, the environment is as diverse and dynamic as the people who populate it. One unique trait is the sliding scale: most pricing is a "pay what you want" system within a range.
"A market is supposed to be, at its core, a community event where the little person wins," Weber said. "If your people can't thrive, who cares?"

Adam Atwood is the creative behind Golden Age Accessories, which uses 3D printing and metal casting to create jewelry. All of Atwood's work comes from recycled materials, and features an industrial punk aesthetic. Atwood has been vending in Seattle on and off for around two years,and just got into the Bananamarts scene.
"I have been making my own clothes and accessories since I was a punk-rock teenager," he said. "I would find stuff in the free bin at college and tear it apart and sew it into new stuff. This is sort of a [line] from sewing and creating my own clothes to now designing accessories."
Atwood, who identifies as a transmasculine Queer person, has found a new confidence through creating. "It's really been a blessing and important to gain confidence through self-expression and to create things for myself," he said. Through Golden Age Accessories, he wants to share that feeling with others.
"What I'm doing is not just selling jewelry," Atwood said. "I'm selling self-esteem and building connections with people."
In line with Bananamarts' inclusive nature, Atwood tailors his pieces such that anybody can wear them. "I'll try and make my stuff nongendered," he said. "Anyone can pick up any piece, and if it doesn't fit them, I'll make it fit them."

Adam Atwood, Golden Age Accessories
https://golden-age.studio/collections/all
https://www.instagram.com/goldenageaccessories

Across the pond from the rugged metal design of Atwood's accessories is Key Lime Supply, a clothing and pottery brand focused on bringing the quirky coziness of grocery stores to fashion. Run by Emily Northrop and Bec Lyons, Key Lime started just four months ago, and joined Bana-namarts after stumbling into one of the markets.
"We're so excited. I think both of us are extremely hit-the-ground-running kinds of personalities, so us together is quite a force," Northrop said.
Key Lime Supply sells tote bags and clothes featuring retro grocery store prints designed by Northrop and Lyons. The brand is also launching a new pottery line handmade by Lyons, and painted by her partner, Courtney LaPierre.
Northrop and Lyons, who both identify as Lesbian, used their connection with the Queer commu-nity as the foundation for their brand. "We're so entrenched in the Queer community," Lyons said. "What we're selling is really to target Queer folks."
Their work not only aligns with Bananamarts core tenant of Queer joy but also celebrates the two creatives.
"We want this to feel how our friendship feels," Northrop said. "Joyful, silly, and fun."
Bananamarts gave Northrop and Lyons the perfect starting point for their business, and has helped support them as they grow. Lyons noted how the barrier of entry is much lower, as op-posed to other market spaces that can be more difficult to get into.
"The Queer community is a very unique community in that it's made up of people with dif-ferent budgets and different accessibility needs," Lyons said. "It's [very inclusive], especially when you're trying to get a new brand out there."
Lyons and Northrop are both excited to launch new products and ideas as the brand con-tinues to develop and grow.
"We've been thinking of doing things like matching outfits," Lyons said. "Like a cotton shorts and button-up duo," Northrop said. "We want to do a sticker sheet, or temporary tattoos, socks, hats."

Emily Northrop and Bec Lyons, Key
Lime Supply
https://www.keylimesupply.com/store
https://www.instagram.com/keylimesupply

Katie and Tiff Ta, a Seattle couple, have been creating together for almost the last 10 years. From a band called Suzy Jacuzzi to interviews with Seattle Queers about their favorite place to eat, hang out, etc., the couple has moved through a variety of zany and bold ideas. Their latest is a 3D-printing shop called Strange Magic.
The idea grew out of a passion for 3D printing, which Tiff started as a hobby around five years ago.
"We started designing stuff for our home, random things we wanted, cute things," Katie said. "That blossomed into wanting to share those designs with other people."
The designs span anything that pops into their head: olives, pasta, traffic cones, even giant paper clips. They're cute, colorful, and bold.
"There's a bit of an irreverent nature in what we create," Tiff said. "We identify as weirdos, and we want to make cute, silly, weird things that bring people joy," added Katie.
Sustainability also plays a big part in their designs. All the products are made with biodegradable plastic, which is derived from plants. The use of additive manufacturing also reduces the amount of waste created.
As Strange Magic is a newer brand, Katie and Tiff felt that Bananamarts provided a great way for them to find audiences and expand.
"It feels like a lot less pressure," Katie said, "knowing that we're going to go into a loving space and meet people who are doing a similar thing."
Katie and Tiff are eager to collaborate with more artists in the future. "I'm excited about meeting new people who are doing similar things, who we can maybe collaborate with, or just even hang out with on a personal level," Katie said.
The community has already helped Katie and Tiff to expand Strange Magic, which is going to be wholesaling at Charlie's Queer Books, Seattle's home to Queer books and gifts.

Katie Ta and Tiff Ta, Strange Magic
https://strangemagic.shop/
https://www.instagram.com/strangemagic_shop

Meet these vendors and others at the next Bananamarts, September 14 at Caffe Vita Seward Park. More info can be found at https://www.bananamarts.com and https://www.instagram.com/bananamarts

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