San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
FARMERS MARKET RETURNS
Weekly event in downtown C.V. set to begin May 8
Every week, about 40 farmers markets are set up across San Diego County neighborhoods, but none in downtown Chula Vista. That’s about to change.
Residents and visitors of the South Bay city will soon have weekly access to dozens of vendors selling fresh produce, flowers and baked goods from local makers as part of the forthcoming Third Avenue Village Market scheduled to launch May 8.
It will run from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays, rain or shine, along the westbound lane of Park Way between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue, or adjacent to Memorial Park, organizers said.
The effort is a collaboration between Third Avenue Village — the corporation representing businesses and property owners on Third Avenue — and Catt Fields White, an experienced farmers market operator who developed the biweekly market in San Diego’s Little Italy and who manages several more in the county.
“We’re really excited to bring the same level of market to Chula Vista,” White said. “I think the neighborhood’s ripe and ready.”
“It feels very much like Little Italy did back in 2008 when we first started that market. Little Italy was kind of quiet in the mornings on the weekends. It’s a little bit of a bedroom community and bringing fresh food to the area … really gave them an opportunity to get to know each other while they were shopping for fresh food,” she added.
Third Avenue Village’s goal is for Third Avenue to develop “a strong identity” and become a destination area with mixed-use development, more public spaces and family-friendly events, corporation officials said in a previous interview. The vision comes after New City America, the agency credited with revitalizing the Little Italy neighborhood, took over the day-to-day operations of Third Avenue Village last year.
Part of that vision was to reinstate a weekly farmers market after downtown Chula Vista lost its staple market in 2017. For about 22 years since 1994, vendors would line up Thursday afternoons on Center Street and Third Avenue to sell produce, handcrafted goods and international cuisine. Operations ceased after the operator retired, said White. The only other markets for residents on the west side are smaller versions in east Chula Vista and Bonita.
“We are so excited to bring a new and muchneeded farmers market into the neighborhood,” Dominic Li Mandri, district manager of Third Avenue Village Association, said in a statement. “It’s important for us to continue to create fun, family-friendly events and activities, and increase the neighborhood’s quality of life. This new Third Avenue Village Market is the perfect Sunday family tradition to do just that, and we can’t wait for everyone to enjoy it.”
The Third Avenue Village Market is expected to have about 65 to 70 vendors, which includes farmers who are well established and others who are starting out locally, White said. The market will also have local food vendors selling specialty hot sauces, fresh pasta and sandwiches.
“We host farmers from all over California. We tend to focus as much as possible on San Diego County, Riverside County (and) Imperial County right next to us but Chula Vista is a great place for growing,” she said. “We’re in a good position with the Chula Vista market to be able to foster farmers that are just starting out.”
Gilbert and Lee Farms, with properties in Fallbrook and San Marcos, is an avid participant in farmers markets across the county selling fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers. They will be participating in Chula Vista, said Mario Pascual Montejo, who manages the farms’ stands at markets.
“We’re really excited to expand to Chula Vista,” he said. “It’s going to be a new challenge as we add another market to our list but we’re really happy to work with Catt to bring Chula Vista more fresh fruits and vegetables.”
Chula Vista council members approved a temporary road closure on Park Way for the weekly market through April 30, 2023.