The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
REVIVED FARMERS MARKETS GROWING
Farmers markets in Eastlake and Willoughby are seeing signs their seeds of labor are bearing fruit
Two farmers markets in Eastlake and Willoughby have reported seeing growth since both experienced a resurgence this summer.
The Eastlake market, held on Wednesdays from 3 to 7 p.m., began in May and the Osborne Park Market and Flea, held on the same day from 4 to 7 p.m., began in June. Both have started anew this year, as the Eastlake market comes off a hiatus and the Osborne Park market has switched from Sundays to Wednesdays.
Since it began, organizer Judy Moran said that Eastlake’s market has been growing. In June, the market introduced flea market and produce vendors. It has also featured food trucks, homemade products, apparel vendors and more.
“We’ve got more and more customers every week,” Moran said.
She said that the flea market aspect has helped draw visitors for all of the vendors.
“If it benefits all our regular vendors, then flea market people are very welcome to be there,” she said.
The market is located at the
Vineyards Plaza parking lot on Vine Street, which Moran said has developed awareness of the new market.
“It definitely is an attention-getter, being right there on Vine Street,” she said. “The vendors are very pleased with it. The more attention, the better.”
Moran also said she has been giving away prizes for residents via the City of Eastlake’s social media.
The prizes can be picked up by winners at the market, encouraging them to explore what it has to offer.
Some of the prizes are provided by market vendors
themselves.
“This market will only be as good as the residents that come out to support it,” Moran had said in a June interview.
Late last month, the market celebrated “Christmas in July.” Moran said that she is hoping for a future “Dog Day” at the market and that there will be a customer appreciation event at the end of the season.
Sep. 25 will be the last day of the Eastlake market this year.
Meanwhile in Willoughby, the Osborne Park Market and Flea has been running since June, taking place on Wednesdays at the city’s lakefront park.
Willoughby Lakefront Business Association volunteer
Kathie Pinkerman manages the market and has seen it grow larger over
the past couple of months. She said that the most vendors she has seen was 67.
There were 19 at the first market day this year.
“On average, I seem to have between 45 and 50 every week,” Pinkerman said. “But, of course, it varies week to week.
“My goal is to hopefully take over this entire area (in Osborne Park). I could probably hold 225 vendors.”
The market features ice cream, produce, baked goods, artwork, crafts, jewelry, collector items and other used products that flea market vendors want to sell.
Vendors are usually situated near the main entrance of Osborne Park and can be seen from Lakeshore Boulevard.
At the market, Pinkerman provides lists of northend businesses in Willoughby
so that visitors can find more of what the city’s lakefront district has to offer. As a north end resident herself, Pinkerman hopes to put a spotlight on the area.
“We’re trying to bring business back to the north end of Willoughby and try to get people to come on down there to let them know what type of mom-and-pop shops we have,” she said in a June News-Herald article.
While she works on growing the market this summer, Pinkerman is also thinking ahead to next year’s go-around.
“Next year, we’re going until 8 o’clock,” she said, adding that she is looking to introduce a portable power source next year in order to host live music and food trucks at the market.