Panel OKs name change for market

SPRINGDALE — The Mill Street Market is close to getting a new name, following a Planning Commission vote.

The commission voted unanimously to change the market’s name to Downtown Springdale Farmer’s Market. The name change will move to the City Council for approval.

“The market started last season as the Mill Street Market and it was under different management than it is now,” said Hannah Potter, director of the market. “So when the transfer of management occurred, that’s when the name change occurred.”

The market, which is on Mill Street between Price and Johnson streets, was started last year by Tiffany and James Selvey. The market opened May 6, and is now run by the Downtown Springdale Alliance. Potter was hired as the market’s director in March.

“We had to change names because the Selveys wouldn’t allow us to keep the name Mill Street Market,” Potter said. “Downtown Springdale Market made sense because it is run by the Downtown Springdale Alliance. It’s the basic name and it told the location.”

The market on Mill Street isn’t connected to the Springdale Farmer’s Market, which is on the JTL Memorial Walk in The Jones Center area.

The market on Mill Street is under different management, but still has many of the vendors who operated there last year, Potter said.

The vendors are farmers and craftsmen from across Northwest Arkansas, selling everything from produce to fresh cut flowers to jams, jellies, pies and assorted baked goods. Free yoga lessons are offered on the green space near the market, Potter said.

“You have to be local. You have to either grow your own or make it yourself,” she said.