110 degrees magazine - Index

110 degrees magazine - 110° Magazine - July 2007 - Through the gates of Hell - Index

PEEKS [HOMEGROWN]
THE NEW AND IMPROVED
FARMER’S MARKET
14 www.110mag.com July 2007
The new revitalized
Farmer’s Market is making
a big splash in our East
County culture. The
change of date & time
plus the move to
First Street has made
a big difference.
by Don Huntington
Image by Russell Byrne
The Brentwood Farmer’s Market, now in its third year,
has made two important changes. For the first time
the market has changed to a Saturday (8:00 a.m. to
noon) schedule. Residents and businessmen have
greeted this with great enthusiasm; the change of day
and time has had a wonderful effect on attendance.
The other change was to move the venue from its
former City Park location to First Street. Local
merchants have responded to the change with
unbridled enthusiasm.
Judy Carpenter, owner of the A’Mon Amour Bridal
Wedding Store, for example, said:
The change from Thursday to Saturday was great!
Putting this on First Street brings everyone closer to
the merchants. The change has made people more
aware of my business.
People have come in and told us “I wasn’t aware
you do tuxedos. It’s increased our business.”
Darius Mahallati, owner of Grazie! Restaurant has
changed his operations to match the new reality
brought in by the success of the Farmer’s Market.
I think the Farmer’s Market is a good thing because
it brings people downtown.
The first day the market was open I was concerned
because the vendors blocked my window
with their trucks. I thought he was ignoring me,
but he actually listened and the next week the vehicles
were gone.
We merchants must harness this influx of people.
I need to modify my normal dinner time in order to
capture some of that foot traffic. I need to open ear-
lier and provide smoothies and bread to capture the
market. I’m developing this as we go forward.
Even when customers don’t stop in on Saturday,
however, some people will see me there and come
back later.
I like the way the Farmer’s Market staff conduct
themselves. They leave the streets clean. There are
no issues with vandalism.
I have nothing negative to say.
Gary Kinsey, owner of Delta Floor Covering, was equally
enthusiastic about the change:
Moving the Farmer’s Market to First Street is one of
the few things the city and the U-Pick do that actually
serves First Street merchants.
Having 1,500 or so people pass in front of my store
each week is invaluable. Now that the market is on
Saturdays a lot of families are showing up. People are
beginning to learn where downtown is and what
kinds of stores and services are there.
Paul Laza, one of the owners of the Wine Store, also had
some good things to say.
The Farmer’s Market is great for our downtown. A big
advantage of the Farmer’s Market is that it is a regular
event, not like Corn Fest, which comes in once a year.
The Farmer’s Market attracts a different set of people.
The Farmer’s Market brings people down, and then
keeps them here. Maybe they’ll have a meal at Grazie!
Perhaps they’ll have a glass of wine at the Wine Store.
So hooray for the Farmer’s Market! If you haven’t gotten
there yet, don’t let another Saturday go by without
dropping in — every Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to noon.