Every Saturday morning, Main Street is transformed into a lively street affair of local growers and craft vendors, sharing space with businesses and pedestrians.Kathleen Burns, the Moscow arts director, said there was some opposition to the change in location last summer, but at the end of this season they felt as though their concerns had been calmed.
Gina Taruscio, the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, also said she has not heard negative responses from businesses during the 2013 farmers market season.
“I would say that in general the businesses in our community are understanding,” Taruscio said. “We have good solid support for the farmer’s market.”
The Farmers Market is a community event that is supported by local farmers, crafters and food vendors, as well as local customers who are loyal to the market. Many changes have been made to the farmers market in recent years, but Burns said the response has been mostly positive. Some of these changes include accepting SNAP benefits as payment, and the permanent move.
“There is a lot more aesthetic with the historic buildings as backdrops,” Burns said. “And there’s more room for customers and more space for vendors.”
Moving the market to Main Street allowed for booths to increase in size from 10 feet by 10 feet to 11 feet by 15 feet. Produce vendors also appreciate the shade provided by Main Street because their food lasts longer and does not wilt in the hot sun, Burns said.
John Crock, owner of Hyperspud Sports, has monitored business from last year to this year on Saturdays, but said that his results showed a slight decrease in business.
“Last year, I kept track of every day (since) the Farmers Market moved, and I added it all up and compared it to the previous year’s sales,” Crock said.
Crock said that there are more people in the stores, but they do not purchase large items. Instead, they buy small items or make impulse buys.
“All in all, it almost balances, but not quite,” Crock said. “We’re a little bit down.”
People who frequent the Farmers Market walk downtown in the street instead of on the sidewalk, Crock said. However, the concern is congestion, not the decrease in sales.
Crock said he was on the Farmers Market Task Force for the city a few years ago, and they looked at long term plans, but moving it to Main Street permanently was not an idea at the time.
While moving the market to Main Street has been mostly supported in 2013, people were hesitant when the change was first suggested, Taruscio said.
“The city did a great job with communicating,” Taruscio said. “The transition was gently done.”
The Moscow Farmers Market is held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday until October.
Alycia Rock can be reached at [email protected]