City Hall: A Farmers Market Will Go On In Lakewood

While there will no longer be a farmers market on Wednesday at hosted by the North Union Farmers Market, city officials say a market will go on in Lakewood. 

But it will be on Saturday.

And the will be the host.

City officials offered to host the weekly North Union Farmers Market at another location, on another day of the week, said Dru Siley, the city’s director of planning and development.

“We felt that it was in the best interest to ask for a Saturday market,” Siley said.

“Apparently, they won’t be interested.”

LoveLakewood reported Tuesday that the is calling it quits in Lakewood, citing poor sales.

Donita Anderson, the NUFM director, told LoveLakewood that a few vendors did well at the Wednesday morning market, but most didn’t.

“The reason that we’re not coming back to Lakewood,” she said, “is because the farmers were not making enough money to sustain themselves.”

The market had operated in Lakewood for 13 years.

Siley said, with the renovation, a Kauffman Park farmers market wouldn’t have been ideal.

He said the city hasn’t officially awarded the contract yet, but said the new  — which runs on Saturdays at  — will be offered the partnership with the city.

The Lakewood Farmers Market was founded three years ago, offering produce grown locally by small-scale farmers.

“It’s still a young operation, but they’ve proven themselves so far and we look forward to working with them,” Siley said. “We want the highest quality market that can serve the highest number of residents possible."

Christa Kraft, the market manager for the Lakewood Farmers Market told Lakewood Patch that she's "surprised that North Union is leaving."

“Any source that brings fresh, local food to market is good," she said. "That being said, the Saturday market is great. It’s in a great location, on a Saturday — it makes sense because more people can shop on Saturday."

Kraft pointed out that many of the vendors — as well as the shoppers — are Lakewoodites.

“We have the hyperlocal folks like and Annabel Khoury (from ) and Tony DiCorpo of Troubadour Coffee,” she said.

"There’s nothing better than a delightful Saturday in Lakewood at the market."