There is constant talk about the most desired places to be in Melbourne. In the northern suburbs, Brunswick and Northcote always seem to get mentioned. But what about the suburbs that are overlooked? Preston is undoubtedly one of these places. Most describe it as being close to these desired suburbs, but still worlds apart.

However, those who have spent time in the area know Preston is home to some iconic places. One of these is the Preston Market. The market has been established for 40 years and is extremely popular with locals s well as those from surrounding suburbs. It is a welcome change from the usual dashing around a supermarket, with its mundane to-do list of errands. In the documentary Market Crossings, one stall owner describes the market as a ‘good old fashioned way of shopping’. While another says it is ‘raw, fresh, real’.

The market is rich with culture and traditions. As Martin Plowman writes in this  story from The Age, it was his mother who took him to the market and passed on her wisdom about which were the best stalls. The market is  full of family traditions and tales, and is a place where people can go to enjoy the multicultural food and traditions that have made it so popular.

As soon as you step into the market, you can sense the multiculturalism that makes the market very different from the usual shoppers’ experience. The size of the market is instantly overwhelming, as is the amount of stalls that fill it. Even after a few laps around the space, you’ll find new things that may have been overlooked at first glance.

The market has 135 stalls and looking around, there are a lot of stalls selling similar produce. How do they all survive? It’s clear that there are many dedicated customers who support the market over any other grocery store.

Retail assistant at the Rhubarb Rhubarb organic stall, Annie Emery, reinforces this, ‘I think the more conscious minded people are happier to support a small business’. Although there are a number of stalls selling similar produce, they are all unique, something that the average supermarket lacks. Each has individual character; each is an integral part of the market.

Walking around the building, it is easy to get distracted by the goings on of other people; the stall owners who are talking to each other over the crowds give a sense of community. Emery states that the market, ‘really brings back the whole concept of the village to the community, a place where people can meet and do more than just shop’.

This is more than stall owners trying to make money; this is a vital part of their life. Being able to share the food of their heritage with the locals means that they can bring a little bit of their cultural tradition to Melbourne. There is also the benefit of the obvious financial savings and quality of the produce, ‘it’s better shopping at the market because you get such a wide variety of really fresh produce that hasn’t been stored for as long as things at supermarkets have’, Emery notes. But it is also the opportunity to have a chat to the stall owners that gives the market a sense of community.

Iconic venues such as this, give Preston character.

Cass Savellis is a final year Bachelor of Journalism student and is a former member of the upstart editorial team. She writes a blog and can be found on Twitter @csavellis.