Port Angeles Farmers Market Written Up in PDN
Today’s Peninsula Daily News has a good write-up of the Port Angeles Farmers Market on page 1 of Section C. (Not available in the online PDN.)
The Farmers Market needs this publicity since they're basically dying out there on the courthouse parking lot. Apparently a lot of people don’t even know the Farmers Market is there; they thought it just fell off the Earth when it got banished from downtown P.A. They're at the Clallam County Courthouse parking lot at Fourth and Peabody.
On top of their reduced number of customers, they had to hold a fundraiser a few weeks ago to pay for the portapotty that they're required to provide.
The article reminds everyone that shopping at a farmers market is not only healthier; it supports the local economy by keeping the money in the community.
According to one statistic (I haven’t seen it online), when you shop at a nationwide franchise, only six cents of each dollar stays in the community. When you patronize a local vendor or mom-and-pop store, sixty cents of every dollar stays in the community. Presumably the statistics are similar for farmers markets and locally-owned grocery stores vs. the national supermarket chains.
So check out the Port Angeles Farmers Market (if you haven’t already been) — Saturdays at the County Courthouse from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Farmers Market needs this publicity since they're basically dying out there on the courthouse parking lot. Apparently a lot of people don’t even know the Farmers Market is there; they thought it just fell off the Earth when it got banished from downtown P.A. They're at the Clallam County Courthouse parking lot at Fourth and Peabody.
On top of their reduced number of customers, they had to hold a fundraiser a few weeks ago to pay for the portapotty that they're required to provide.
The article reminds everyone that shopping at a farmers market is not only healthier; it supports the local economy by keeping the money in the community.
According to one statistic (I haven’t seen it online), when you shop at a nationwide franchise, only six cents of each dollar stays in the community. When you patronize a local vendor or mom-and-pop store, sixty cents of every dollar stays in the community. Presumably the statistics are similar for farmers markets and locally-owned grocery stores vs. the national supermarket chains.
So check out the Port Angeles Farmers Market (if you haven’t already been) — Saturdays at the County Courthouse from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Labels: Clallam County Courthouse, farmers market versus supermarket, Port Angeles Farmers Market
posted by Tom Harper at 2:28 PM
14 Comments:
Is there any chance that the farmers market would come back downtown? We sure could use a bit more foot traffic. The way it looks the condos are years away.
The month of Jan. was perfectly awful for businesses and I'm not so sure the press about that helps or hurts the downtown.I'm thinking people read in the paper how hard it is to negotiate the construction and they figure on shopping else where.It's too bad that there isn't more trust among the businesses, so they could honestly dialoge with out fear of repercusions.I wish they would stop complaining about each other and how hard it is to their customers. Merchants you are all in it together. Downtown IS a destination, make it worth while.
We are the only community with a farmers market...that I KNOW of that has banished it to a remote parking instead of embracing it as a downtown ASSET!!! And, then, to banish it to a lot that isn't easy to remember about. And, of course the merchants grumble and can't seem to work together..one of the leaders of the farmers market banishment owns a prominent tourist junk shop and was on the city council....and is known for making everything a Junior High School-style Girls Gang war.
Put the farmers market back down town.....where it BELONGS.
It would be SO GREAT to have the Farmers' Market back downtown. It's been proven that having a Market brings tons of people into town, and they shop, eat out, and do whatever while they're downtown. Our downtown is in terrible shape, and we GOT RID OF the best thing we had! Idiocy!
Pssst!
Meet at the dumpster behind a certain tourii junk shop at midnight.
Bring torches and pitchforks.
Say, has anyone noticed the large newspaper ads by the prominent tourist junk shop lately?
When said P.T.J.S. owner was on the city council the ads ran "who needs a mall when you have downtown Port Angeles?" Now that she's off the city council the ads read "who needs a mall when you have Necessities and temptations?"
You don't think she's holding a grudge, do you?
Way to go citizens of Port Angeles. Use a public forum that other people can check out to show your true nature and spirit of togetherness. To outsiders reading this blog, please be assured that the childishness you are seeing here is not the norm for people who live in our community. I don't know for sure, but I'll bet the Farmers Market was moved because of the construction going on downtown. I'd at least give our community the benefit of the doubt, rather than attributing conspiracy theories, which you too know little or nothing about.
Go down to the Farmer's Market and you'll find out for yourself how helpful and accomodating people here in P.A. really are. All of the vendors will take the time to talk to you about the exquisite epicurean possibilities that come with learning to eat local.
To the rest of you, learn to live local...start by being nice!
hummmmm I think something got lost here the farmers market did not move because of construction. It was a handful of businesses that couldn't or wouldn't share the pie. They sucessfully drove the farmers market out of the downtown. Much to the dismay of other businesses.
To the anonymous comment on Jan. 31 at 8:37 a.m.: You're right about being more positive and pulling together and cooperating. But you're wrong about why the farmers market left downtown. 4 merchants and 4 other people who own property downtown (I think those are the right numbers) didn't want the farmers market downtown. This was summer of 2005. Their stated reason was that they didn't want Laurel Street blocked off for 4 hours twice a week. But for some reason, these same powerful people don't have any problem with permanently closing off a block of Cherry Street downtown, which is what will be done when that doctors office relocates to Cherry St.
Anyway, in August '05 the planning commission sided up with the farmers market and said they could stay on Laurel Street. The city council also said the farmers market could stay on Laurel St. Then the notorious gang of eight hired an expensive lawyer, went back to the city council to "restate" their case, and the city council changed their minds and evicted the farmers market from Laurel St.
They've been at that courthouse parking lot ever since then. In the summer they set up on Wednesday afternoons in that downtown parking lot across the street from Port Book and News. The powers that be haven't found a way to wreck that one yet.
Let's not forget that the Gang of 8's expensive lawyer tried to run for the judge's position and got a whacking great thumping at the polls.
I don't think the Farmer's Market can be evicted from the parking lot across from PBN because that's privately owned.
But, the small parking lot doesn't have the same flavor as the street version...and, it can't GROW there.
We need to get it back to the vibrant and fun market it was before the eviction from Laurel Street.
I made no sense to get rid of it and banish it. Ours is dying, while Sequim and Port Townsend's are THRIVING. This is while farmers markets all over the country are gaining momentum, and attracting more customers.
Why does this town always try and destroy anything fun and interesting?
Why don't we have the art festivals on First Street, anymore? We used to. And, why is everything banished to the far-out-of-the-way pier?
Off topic but...
Is there any coffee house (or other) where someone can hang out and pirate wifi signal?
Check out the Itty Bitty Buzz or Vela's.
No one wants to buy e-coli, fusarium-infested crap from a bunch of unwashed hippies...I play it safe and buy my veggies at Safeway.
Anyone wish to comment on the viewpoints of Councilman Perry vs. PADA on the state of PA downtown business being affected by the construction?
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