St. Jacobs Market rises from the ashes of huge 2013 blaze
Thursday’s reopening featured a welcoming of new vendors and the return of old favourites
They came from every corner of the province, driving plenty of hours and skipping work.
Nothing was stopping devoted throngs from missing Thursday’s reopening of St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market — a beloved locale north of Waterloo and an essential summer pit stop for road-tripping families. Amidst plenty of excitement, the market’s doors were flung open, marking a rebirth and rise from the ashes for a site that had perished in a devastating 2013 blaze. Market history
It was the morning after Marcus Shantz had returned home early from a rainy, Labour Day weekend camping trip.
He and his family had pulled into their driveway the night before so exhausted that they parked, unpacked and headed straight to bed.
The next morning, Shantz was awoken by his wife who handed him a cup of coffee and the unfortunate news that his vacation was being cut short — the historic St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market, partially owned by his family and local investors, had gone up in flames the night before.
Shantz was devastated. He drove to King St. N and Weber St. N, where the historic building sat since April 1975, only to find a charred mess and dozens of mourners.
“A lot of people couldn’t believe it. They were shaking their heads,” he recalled. “We were grateful that no one was hurt.”
The two years since have been all about rebuilding the historic site to its former glory — a town landmark that grew out of the Waterloo farmers markets of the 1800s and the burgeoning Ontario livestock exchange where farmers would sell cattle.
The market rebirth has meant a lot of work, courting new tenants, pleasing old favourites andconstructing an extra facility to handle the overflow of both.