Meet Quincy Brown of The Public Farmers Market at Firewheel Town Center in Garland

Today we’d like to introduce you to Quincy Brown.

Quincy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My wife and I fell on hard times after 9/11. We lost our respective jobs to the recession. We’re spiritual people, so we did like most people would, we prayed hard. Afterwards, we were led by faith to start selling pound cake in hair salons, barber shops, and dealerships. It wasn’t long before we realized we were on our path. We opened a storefront in Garland with absolutely zero business experience.

Soon our lines of customers started to dissipate. We were in too deep to walk away, so we went back to the hair salons.

It was after this that I realized I had to leave the comfort of what was familiar if I was going to truly trust my faith. We walked into a fast food and asked if they would offer our product. They tasted it and said, yes. Soon we accumulated about 50 fast foods. We moved into a warehouse to accommodate the demand. I would soon discover how dangerous it was coming to the warehouse every morning at 3am and delivering to each place would sometimes require us to be out until 3am the next day, just my 6 yr. old son, wife and I.

We were encouraged to try out some farmers markets by a trusted friend. We started at Firewheel Town Center at Four Seasons Farmers Market. Soon we learned the swing of things and went on to other markets with our pound cake. We eventually decided to build out at the Dallas Farmers Market, where we stayed over the next five years. Never thought we’d leave there, but the city of Dallas sold the farmers market. We were uprooted again.

We bought a concession trailer. And planned on not missing a beat. It would be 6 months later before we landed a permit. The city of Dallas does not permit concession trailers. We opened in the city of Garland. It was a big hit financially and demographically. It tested every fiber of our souls. Soon we had to fight harder than ever to make something happen because we didn’t have a plan b.

We were blessed by Courtney Collins to be on NPR. Then Paige McCoy Smith called us to appear on Good Morning Texas. Royal Blue Grocery in Highland Park Village asked us if we were interested in offering our pound cakes there. We were accepted back to the Dallas Farmers Market, but the place we were uprooted from was different. We returned for a year.

We went back to the city of Garland. I know, crazy move, right? Spirit led we went to city hall and asked if they’d give us a chance to open a farmers market.

Surprisingly six months later, they said yes. And wouldn’t you know, we opened our first farmers market in the very same place we started, Firewheel Town Center. We got a late start this first year, but we’re Texas tough. We’re jockeying for position to start out strong next season.

Has it been a smooth road?
Our biggest struggle has been finding employees. So, my wife and I do the work of ten people. Secondly, we have hardly rested since we started this journey. We’re getting older and the aches have started to get bigger. Finally, being a small business is the definition of itself literally. We’re always on a budget.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Public Farmers Market at Firewheel Town Center – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Our business is still pound cake. We’ve had to pull out my mother in law’s cook books now with the concession business. Everybody in Dallas is selling desserts since we started, but what sets us apart from others is, we make a consistent quality product just like we did when we started, one by one with our hands. We’re known locally for our pound cakes and our work ethic. What I’m most proud of is we’ve survived a lot of things that would have caused a nervous breakdown for the average person, we’ve survived our inexperience, and outlasted the naysayers.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love Dallas. I was born here, raised here, and I shed a lot of skin here. What I least like is, this city has way too many obstacles for potential entrepreneurs. It’s not impossible, but it can feel that way sometimes.

Pricing:

• Our mini pound cakes were selling for $1 when we started in 2001. Now they’re $5
• You can eat a good meal from our concession menu for $10

Contact Info:

• Address: 701 Horseshoe Dr,. Garland, TX 75040
• Website: www.publicmarketgarland.com
• Phone: 214-321-5350
• Email: aintnomobcakes@aol.com
• Instagram: anmbc, thepublicfarmersmarket
• Facebook: aint nomo butter cakes
• Twitter: anmbcakes
• Yelp: The Public Farmers Market @ Firewheel
• Other: www.anmbcakes.com

Image Credit:
UberEats
WFAA
Edible
NPR

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.