Photo(s) of the Week: Tampa Epoch Hawkers

vendors Robert Harless and Holly Hoppe said their self-esteem is much higher since they started selling the new homeless newspaper on the streets of South Tampa this week.

“This is a job, it's not panhandling,” the enthusiastic couple said.

“Very happy,” “organized job,” and “higher self-esteem” were all expressions the couple used more than once to describe their life on the street as vendors, instead of panhandlers.

Harless and Hoppe explained that Tampa Epoch contractors have to check-in at 7 a.m. at one of the Epoch providers scattered around town. Then, stack of newspapers in hand, vendors hit the streets making sure to keep away from the city's most dangerous intersections, which are off-limits to newspaper hawkers and panhandlers for good after a

Epoch vendors have to follow a basic code-of-conduct, such as no drugs and alcohol use and no harassment and disrespect toward buyers.

Reactions from motorists are mixed, Harless and Hoppe said.

Some folks simply drive by the couple wearing Tampa Epoch T-shirts and budges without giving them a second glance. 
But some of those who bought the $1 paper came back to purchase a second copy this week, they said.

On Friday, they sold over 20 newspapers in downtown. It was a slow day, according to them.