Holiday Market Open 24/7 In Hanover Operates On Honor System
HANOVER (CBS) - At this store, there are no locks, doors, or cashiers. That's because the Rustic Marlin Holiday Market operates on the honor system.
"You come in, you grab the product you want, and you go over to one of the payment stations. We take check, cash, or a lot of people pay by Venmo," said Brian O'Neil, who founded Rustic Marlin along with his wife Melanie.
The O'Neil's admit at first, they weren't sure how the contactless shopping would go.
"So, everybody thought we were crazy, and it was Brian's idea and I have to admit I thought Brian was crazy," said Melanie.
But just steps away from the home decor brand's headquarters and workshop in Hanover, the 24/7 market has been a big success. It's now open year-round, and changes with the seasons. Customers can't seem to get enough of it.
"Just the 24 hours, I can pull in real quick, do the shopping, Venmo. Makes it a lot easier for people that can make it within the normal store hours," said customer David Griffin of Hanover.
"I love it. I come down here all the time. All the time. I love it," said customer Terry Dineen of Hyde Park.
"Knowing how happy and convenient we can make it for people, it's worth the risk I think," said O'Neil.
The outdoor market first opened in April of last year with a few handmade signs on the wall, and after a good response, it has since grown to include four cabins and thousands of products.
"What started off as about ten signs has gone up to about 10,000 products out here," said Brian.
Melanie added, "the sweetest thing is we'll get notes in the mail that say 'I'm so sorry, I owed you five more dollars, it's been a few weeks' and we get an outpouring of love. I love what we can do for the community, to us that's really important."
