Backyard Players launches commerce-oriented initiative

The Backyard Players and Friends recently opened the Front Porch Market, a new storefront next door to its location on North Long Beach Road in Rockville Centre that, like BYP, focuses on inclusivity and the special-needs community.

The market was conceived to provide creative work in a retail environment for neurodiverse craft makers, artists, authors, and entrepreneurs to produce and sell their wares.

The one-of-a-kind shop gives participants offering unique handmade crafts and curios for purchase the chance to learn customer service and marketing skills by interacting with the public.

Ellen White, one of the directors of the Backyard Players organization, said that the market had held a “soft opening” on Dec. 17. “It was wonderful,” White said. “Everyone was so proud to show the items they had made.”

The Backyard Players made over 300 cookies and served hot cocoa to everyone who visited the market that afternoon. Pianist Sophia DeMarco, an International Baccalaureate music student at South Side High School, played holiday music, and there was a special visit from Santa. White estimated that between 200 and 350 people stopped by to show their support, including village officials and local business owners.

“Front Porch Market is just another example of the positive work being done by the Backyard Players and Friends here in the village,” Mayor Francis Murray said in a statement. “This new initiative showcases crafters and local artists in an inclusive retail space and craft workshop. Thank you to the volunteers and directors for providing these opportunities for our inclusive community.”

Every item for sale in the shop was handmade by local artisans, and all of the profits will fund Backyard Players and Friends programs.

Created in 2015, the Backyard Players is a nonprofit dedicated to providing a space where people can come together and share ideas, openness, joy, and creativity through classes designed to help participants with disabilities develop physically, emotionally, and creatively.

White said that about 80 percent of people with developmental disabilities are unable to find or keep a job. According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021, roughly 19.1 percent of people with disabilities are employed.

BYP created the Front Porch Market with the hope of trying to address this statistical gap. “We’re selling customer service,” White said. “There was a great connection between all of the participants and the public.”

The market will support a variety of businesses, including Popcorn for the People, Smile Farms Hot Sauce, Elf Emma, and local authors Brent Anderson and his “Unintentional Humor Book,” and Megan Bomgaars and her book, “Born to Sparkle.”

It also welcomes crafters from around the community, who share their talents and teach their skills. Most recently, the market held a class on creating candles and soaps, which are available for purchase at the store. Other items include handmade wooden charcuterie boards, knit hats, and locally sourced honey.

The Front Porch Market, at 213 N. Long Beach Road, will officially open on Jan. 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The BYP also plans to hold special events in the future, such as artist showcases and book signings.

“On a side note, we had a wish list to outfit our new kitchen,” White wrote in an email. “A young man from town, Aidan Conlon, took it upon himself to help us clear our entire wishlist and stocked our new kitchen. Aidan contacted friends and family and sat outside the BYP to bring awareness to the project, and with Aidan’s help our kitchen is now fully stocked.”

For more information, go to BYPAndFriends.com/FrontPorchMarket.