By offering a variety of stores and restaurants, the Quakertown Farmers Market (Q-Mart) attracts a high school customer base, providing hangout spots and businesses with a wider customer pool.
According to the owner of Hess’ Raceplace, Nick Hess, high school students make up an important chunk of their customer base, and that of Q-Mart’s customer base.
“I would say probably about 30-40%,” Hess said.
Hess said that he gets high school customers mostly on “Friday nights.”
As for Lou’s Supply owner Jason Schan, he shares a similar experience with customers in his business. He believes he gets the highest number of teenage customers on Fridays and weekends.
Grandma’s Diner owner Becky Suelke feels that the mixture of different experiences is what attracts this demographic of customers.
“I think the Q-Mart in general is a mix of all kinds of people,” Suelke said. “So, young people are attracted here just to walk around and check everything out.”
Sophomore Jackson Koenig also feels that the mix of stores of the Q-Mart is what is appealing about it.
“The most appealing part of the Q Mart is the variety of unique shops,” Koenig said. “There are so many different things to look at, and each store has something different to offer.”
According to Koenig, this makes the experience “more interesting” than regular stores.
When Koenig goes to the Q-Mart, he likes to go with friends.
“I enjoy walking around the Q-Mart with my friends because it gives us something fun to do together,” Koenig said.
Schan believes that having a lot of young and high school customers is important for a business because they are the “next generation.”
“They are going to be the next ones in here, working on stuff or tinkering with stuff. They are ones that come in for Aerosoft,” Schan said, “so it definitely affects the demographic because it does not matter what the business is, if you do not have the next younger crowds coming through, you are not going to stay afloat.”
Hess shares this belief that having easy access to a high school customer base is “absolutely” good for business.
For Suelke, the Q-Mart’s sense of community is what makes it an appealing spot for high schoolers and is what keeps them coming back. “I have a lot of people that have grown up here and went away to college and came back to see me,” Suelke said.
According to Koenig, the combination of the community and the variety makes it an ideal hangout place.
“I usually go there for the food and to hang out with my friends. It is a good spot to relax and spend time together without needing a specific plan,” Koenig said.
According to Suelke, the Q-Mart offers good job opportunities to high schoolers, and is not solely a hangout place.
“I get teenagers applying,” Suelke said. “I think it helps them get a good start on their future. They get a variety of people that they are waiting on, talking to and serving.”