Outdoor market in Winnetka a breath of fresh air for holiday shoppers

Try, try and try again. 

The words have been a rallying cry for many during the pandemic, which has disrupted daily life for nine months.

Fabio Sorano, of Glencoe, is among that group, as he fights to keep the family business stable.

“You have to do everything you can,” Sorano said. “You just have to push through this month to get to the next and keep doing that. We’re trying brand new things every week.”

That’s what brought Fabio and Letizia’s Natural Bakery to Winnetka this month for the first Holiday Market, a Winnetka-Northfield Chamber of Commerce event that wrapped up a two-weekend stretch on Sunday, Dec. 6. 

While also showing off baked goods and pastas, Fabio was on hand with Anastasia Suvoraova to promote Letizia’s newest idea: homemade meal kits delivered to North Shore homes. 

Letizia’s was one of more than 20 vendors that saw more than 4,000 guests through the parking lot next to Village Hall over the two weekends, according to chamber director Terry Dason.

“This community has been so supportive of the businesses,” she said. “It’s heartwarming.”

Dason added that many attendees were locals who walked from nearby homes, whether with their families or with their pooch.

The inaugural holiday market was a product of the pandemic, as Dason and company thought it had obvious benefits for both residents and businesses. 

Click here to see a photo gallery of the event

Weather was mostly in cooperation with the open-air market, and safety guidelines — such as mask wearing, one-way aisles and attendance limits — were in place.

“It’s great to be outdoors and safe to be,” Sorano said. “We’re happy to be here.”