Market Alley

Hussein Sharinin sets up for the last market day of session.

The last Market Alley for this session was held today between the main library and the ‘duck pond’ lawn. The independent stalls set up every second Wednesday and provide an array of things for sale; including food, clothing, accessories and organic candles.

Hussein Sharinin, manager of fruit and nut store Nuttyland says while the store runs until late November/ early December, during session is the best time because “you can actually talk to people.” Sharinin also says a shift in health consciousness “has forced us to expand our range to attract more customers.”

“We’ve got healthy nuts and raw nuts to cater for this change, as well as organic dried mangoes and bananas, and gluten-free options. We aim to cater for all kinds of dietary requirements,” says Sharinin.

Sharinin says the store also used to sell lollies but has had to shift their focus to keep business running.

Health is an important issue for new uni students to consider, as weight gain is common in the change of lifestyle— particularly for students living on campus. Binge drinking, processed foods and lack of exercise all contribute to this weight gain. URAC events and increasing gym memberships however show a change in health awareness.

This shift in mindset has also impacted sandwich shop Fuel, who have seen bigger crowds as a result. Manager John Peters says the store was once ‘Fuel Silo’, and sold chocolates and sweets, but became Fuel, and “went a lot healthier.”

“Unibar and the chinese places and everything else here wasn’t good for you. We had to do something.”

Peters says the store is all about choice, and allows the customers to make their own sandwiches. Peters says this way “students are able to determine the price and healthiness of their meal for themselves.”