Customers, Vendors Weigh County Option
If you’ve ever been driving around downtown Lexington on a Wednesday morning, you’ve probably seen the large steer statue that stands at the opening to the farmers market on South Jefferson Street. Vendors have pop-up tents in front of their parked cars and shoppers meander up and down the parking lot, looking for fresh goods to buy. Customers can purchase local produce, artisan breads and baked treats, freshly cut and arranged flowers, and, of course, get some warm apple cider donuts.
The Lexington Farmers Market has been a fixture in downtown for about 25 years but recently there has been a proposal to possibly move the location from McCrums parking lot to Stonewall Square. Many customers and vendors have opposing opinions on the proposed move, citing the pros and cons of the current location, but there are also those who feel like they would continue to sell and shop at the market regardless of where it is.
A public survey was started last month to inform the community of the possibility that the farmers market could change locations and to get feedback on how people would react if the market stayed in its current location or made a change. The survey will be active until Oct. 21 and it can be found on the Lexington (Virginia) Farmer’s Market Facebook page.
People are in favor of the move for two major reasons: a larger area for parking and vendors, and having a flat lot.
“I’ve probably been here for over 20 years,” said John Bruguiere of Dickie Brothers Orchard, and “as a vendor, it would be nice to be able to spread out and not be on a hill and have extra space to park [for customers] as well as the vendors.”
Other vendors had similar sentiments about the proposed new location having more space and easier terrain, especially a very popular vendor who needs a level area for what they sell. Michael Yerks, of Blue Ridge Apple Cider Donuts, said, “This is the only spot in the entire lot where I can set up.”
“The majority of people I’ve talked to are for it, because they understand that there’s no parking and that’s not going to change once this building opens.” Yerks was referring to the new construction behind the Rockbridge Building that’s been encroaching on McCrum’s lot for over a year. “I think under the circumstances it really is our only option.”
Although a large number of people, both shoppers and vendors, believe the market should move to Stonewall Square because of the level space it affords, there are others who think there’s no reason for it to move. Michelle Wells, with Hearthstone Farm, feels that, “The only good thing is its flat, and you get more vendors. But I don’t know if you would get more people coming there because they have to drive. […] And W&L is right there. They can walk.”
The walkability of the current location is a huge draw. There are several community members who love to be able to walk into town for the farmers market to “get their steps in,” as one customer remarked. And while there are many who are frustrated by the lack of close parking, it doesn’t keep everyone away. Frequent shoppers at the farmers market were unbothered that they had to park at least a couple blocks away or walk from their homes, which were several blocks away.
“There’s pluses and minuses to both locations,” Mitch Wapner, former manager of the Lexington Farmers Market, said when asked about the proposal. “It started as having an option in case we ever had to move, that we would have a place to go rather than scrambling. It’s now moved to – we have the option, should we exercise it?”
Nina Kauder, who has been the manager of the Lexington Farmers Market for the last two years, said, “There is this overarching complaint about there not being enough parking.”
Kauder understands that “we’re not just a business. We’re, like, 30 businesses” and takes her job very seriously to help the market thrive. “It’s not enough for us to rely on foot traffic for our vendors to survive. […] Our sales are declining, not significantly, but I track sales every week, by every vendor. I have all the data, I can see what’s going on, and so the writing’s on the wall.”
It seemed clear to her that a move to a more advantageous location would be in the best interest for the market as a whole, even if it didn’t please everyone. This year, at the farmers market’s annual meeting, all the vendors who attended were able to vote on proposed locations for a possible move if the need arose. The location that was chosen, from about a dozen suggested, was Stonewall Square. It’s an attractive space; however, the contract at Stonewall Square has two caveats that Kauder is not willing to budge on.
The first, and biggest dealbreaker for Kauder, is that the market would be expected to close for the colder months. “The contract that we would have had with them [...] showed that we could only be in that space from May till November.” The market has remained open for business every Wednesday, even in the winter, and Kauder intends to keep it that way.
The second reason for the halt on the proposed move is that there is no guarantee the market could remain at Stonewall Square indefinitely. Food Lion, the main tenant in Stonewall Square, would have the power to allow or dismiss the market from the lot if the corporation deemed it a hindrance.
Kauder encourages everyone to participate in the public survey even if the proposal has hit a snag. She hasn’t given up on the possibility that Stonewall Square could be the new home of the market, but for the time being, she will not agree to any move that does not allow the market to be open all year round. If the contract can be changed to support the market being available every Wednesday of the year, then the vendors could vote on the space again and decide what would be best for them and the community, but there is one more factor the market depends on – its customers.
“We’re really in a use it or lose it mode.” Kauder said, as she reflected on the prospects of the market as it stands. She will continue to exhaust every avenue she can think of, but at the end of the day, the future of the market is in the hands of the customers. “If they love their market, they need to come and shop with us.”
