A closer look at yesterday’s display (Photo by Theresa Goodwin)
By Theresa Goodwin
By 7am, as commuters negotiate bumper-to-bumper traffic through All Saints, it’s impossible not to notice a female roadside entrepreneur, adjacent to the secondary school, as she meticulously sets up her display for the start of her day.
Whether or not you are in a hurry, the display created by former hotel worker Sharilyn Martin is enough to stop you in your tracks as you marvel in awe. The mini exhibition on the small table is used to create an ambience and a backdrop for her locally made juices and blends which she sells from Monday to Friday between the hours of 7am and 1pm.
The magnificent décor changes daily in line with whatever special blends the mother-of-one is selling. While she creates at least 13 different blends of various natural flavours each day, among that batch is something special that will form the basis of her extravagant display.
For example, yesterday’s theme of sea shells and other ocean artifacts was used to promote her sea moss special which, in addition to sea moss, features almond milk and oats with a mixture of spices to complete its exotic taste.
This sort of presentation is not new for Martin, who prior to the Covid-19 pandemic last March, was employed in the hotel sector as a spa supervisor for over 10 years.
She was forced to change course when resort bosses made the hard decision to close – sending herself and several others home.
“The flowers add to the juices and I also believe if you can spend all night making juices, preparing something for the public, you have to love it.
“It’s more than the presentation; also I want to send a message, because everybody is selling something to make a living, put something extra to attract the folks, giving them a reason why they should buy. I hope the first reason people stop to support me is the presentation, and then the taste,” Martin said.
As it relates to the flavour, she explained, “sometimes I come with 16 different flavours, like now mango is in, I have the cherry mango, mango with the ginger, the 3C – celery, carrot and the cucumber blend – cucumber with ginger, turmeric with ginger and lemon, and others”.
The local drinks are not the only reason why people have stopped on the busy roadway to patronise Martin, who also participates and spearheads several community outreach programmes at the same location on behalf of the All Saints Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
She said over the past few months she has become a counsellor and advisor to many young people who are just looking for someone to give them a listening ear.