Inside the Otara markets: Stallholders feeling optimistic after tough year

It has been a tough year for many businesses, but many stallholders at a popular Auckland market are feeling optimistic that trade will pick up in the holiday season.

The Otara Market is one of the most popular in Auckland, selling fresh produce, street food and clothes, while also celebrating the community of the area.

Checkpoint went along to ask stallholders how business - and life - has been going for them.

On Saturday morning in South Auckland, cars lined the streets around Otara town centre, crowds of people were checking out the fresh fruit and veges, and enticing smells were coming from the food stalls.

Among them was Abdus-Samad Khalfey, who started his stall House of Delectables earlier this year after being made redundant from his job as a security technician.

"In April, I thought I had a good job, like $40 an hour. And then they said 'oh you're redundant Mr Khalfey' I said 'what did I do wrong?' 'Oh it's not you, it's the job.' That's where it all started, getting extra income."

Originally from Capetown in South Africa, Khalfey said he has had to adapt the curries that he and his wife sell to Kiwi tastes.

"I can remember the first time I came here I had saucy chicken and rice, two big pots. I just went home with the same amount of food. Getting used to the palette of New Zealanders that is my challenge. But I love the people here."

He was still doing some contracting work as a security technician, and hoped business at the markets would pick up and bring in some extra cash over the Christmas period and in the New Year.

Eddie Davison sells sunglasses and jewellery at the market, and said business had been slow over the past couple of years.

But he thought the media now needed to tell a more positive story about the economy.

"The inflation rate is now down again under 2.5 percent and interest rates are coming down on your mortgages. I think the country and the people need to know that things are going to be okay. And I think the media needs to do that job, to let everyone know in a big way."

Hareesh Kika is a true veteran of the Otara Markets, having sold flowers there for more than 30 years.

"My customers are inter-generational now. I used to sell to the mums, and now the children have grown up and I'm selling to them. You build up a huge rapport with people. It's nice, I enjoy it."

The flower-trade had been struggling as people cut back on their spending, Kika said, but at the market he was able to attract people with more affordable prices because of the cheaper rent.

Most of Kika's business in Otara came from people buying church flowers, and he said they often spent more than they could really afford.

"I'm of the nature that I try to get them to spend less. It doesn't make any business sense but it keeps it comfortable for me."

Reginald Reti said he was living the dream, now he had set up his own food stall.

"I sell steak and egg rolls at the Otara flea market. It was my dream to actually sell steak and egg rolls and here I am today."

For Reti the stall is a way to make some extra cash - something he will need to buy Christmas presents for all his kids.

"I've got 13 kids, and two step kids. This will be the first time I sit down and try to get something. My wife usually does it all."

All the stallholders said the markets were a vibrant community event, where they could connect with people, and showcase some of the best of South Auckland.

And they were optimistic they could build on that leading up to the Christmas period and the coming year.