The scent of freshly-poured candles and handmade soap mingled with the buzz of conversation as shoppers weaved their way through rows of tables crowding the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center, discovering everything from handmade jewelry to original artwork created by current and former Longhorns.
The third annual Longhorn Market, hosted by the Texas Exes, brought more than 50 Longhorn-owned businesses together on Sunday for an afternoon of shopping and community on campus. From handcrafted accessories to home goods, the market celebrates Longhorn entrepreneurs while providing an opportunity to showcase their work to the UT community.
Gabriella Whitehead (advertising and English ‘21), owner of art business Teddy Rae Prints, said the market offered an opportunity to network with fellow entrepreneurs while returning to the Forty Acres.
“I think especially in the first (year), a lot of people say even up to three years of having your business, you have to really be boots on the ground,” Whitehead said. “You have to meet people, and I think a lot of people love meeting the artists behind what they’re buying.”
While Whitehead’s business focuses on personalized illustrations and prints, just a few tables away, Pearly Gates Designs was among the other businesses at the market.
Carrie Gates Hawkins (design ‘10), owner of Pearly Gates Designs, said she likes her designs to tell a story and hopes her art inspires people to feel love, joy and the whimsy of life.
“I think it’s so fun, as the world’s growing in AI, to see people’s hands and art that’s created by hand in different aspects of our life, and I think it brings a little bit of that handmade joy to the most mundane places,” Gates Hawkins said.
For Gates Hawkins, participating in the market was more than just a business opportunity; it allowed her to reconnect with her alma mater.
“I think it’s really important to remember your roots and where you came from,” Gates Hawkins said. “UT gave so much to me, and it’s so fun to give so much back to the University, and also it’s fun to see other students.”
While some vendors brought business of their own creation to the market, Amanda Powell (journalism ‘09), owner of Personally Yours, took on a different role when she purchased the 47-year old business at the beginning of the year. She said one of the most difficult parts of taking over the company was modernizing the store while maintaining the classic charm that attracted so many loyal customers over the years.
“I think there is a friendliness and a warmth in building relationships with customers, (and) that is something that Susan (former owner of Personally Yours) started really great with this business,” Powell said. “That’s how it survived 47 years, survived economies, survived COVID.”
Beyond providing a place for Longhorn-owned businesses to sell their products, the market offered vendors a space to build relationships and reconnect with UT. Powell hopes other students will find the same value in their UT experience that she has.
“The foundation of what you get at UT is irreplaceable,” Powell said. “No matter what, this school is special, and so whatever degree they’re going into, they can do it. If life pivots and you end up in a different direction, you’ve got a solid foundation from the University, and then life is just fun.”
