Spring Archi Market blooms

By Angelica Hernandez     2/18/25 10:34pm

Candy hearts, pastel crafts and the hum of excited chatter transformed Anderson Hall into a makeshift bazaar Feb. 10 for the 12th iteration of Archi Market, a student-run market where vendors sold items: hand-beaded jewelry to homemade iced coffee in celebration of Valentine’s Day.

Some students were selling or visiting the market for the first time, intrigued by the people and noise coming from one corner of the academic quad, or interested in sharing their small business with their peers. 

Sid Richardson College freshman Catherine Cheng, a first time as a vendor, sold beaded flowers in glass vases. 

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“I started because I liked crafting,” Cheng said. “I realized that I’ve been to Archi Market as a customer, [and] I could sell my things here.”

Katherine Shi and Victoria Liu, Duncan College sophomores, were also first-time vendors. They sold handmade crochet flowers, coasters and amigurumis — small stuffed animals.

“We’re just so excited that we can sell our goods at school,” Shi said. 

Other students, like Eduardo Pereya, attended the market for the first time. 

“I really enjoyed it,” Pereya, a Brown College freshman, said. “I actually wasn’t expecting there to be so many cool, handmade things. It’s just really fun to see the creativity of other students.”

Other students were more experienced with Archi Market, having been both customers and vendors over their years at Rice. For example, Hong Ling Tsai sold stickers featuring Sammy the Owl at Archi Market.

“I think this is my fifth Archi-Market so far after one of my best friends introduced me to the market, [and] I thought I should follow her,” Tsai, a junior at Brown, said. “30 designs later, I’m still here … There are so many people who give you support and want to show support for the arts.”

According to organizer Emma Liu, Archi Market is held once or twice a semester by some architecture students who are members of the Rice Architecture Society.

“We use Archi Market as an opportunity to fundraise for food for [architecture students] to have late at night to eat,” Liu, a Baker College sophomore, said. “We also want to increase the architecture school’s presence in the community … seeing that it is pretty separate from the rest of Rice.”

Organizer Kirstie Qian, a Hanszen College sophomore, said that the market allows students to showcase their artwork with the rest of the university and sell things they might not have the chance to otherwise. 

“I’ve done Archi Market two times before, and I’ve loved it,” said Amara Anyanwu, a Duncan senior who sold mini plants. “I’ve always loved taking care of plants and giving plants as gifts to my friends, and I thought that this is a great opportunity to share that love with the Rice campus.” Editor’s Note: Kirstie Qian is the Thresher’s sports designer.

Beyond handmade crafts, many students also sold food and drinks. Ivan Diaz, a Lovett College freshman, sold acai bowls, and Ruby Bixby, a Duncan sophomore, sold iced coffee with Sarah Yesnowitz, also a Duncan sophomore.

“We love the experience of going to coffee shops together, so we decided we would bring our own coffee creation to Archi Market,” Bixby said. 

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