HERE ARE SOME READER REACTIONS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF OUR MARKET MOVING TO FOUNTAIN SQUARE.

First, a couple of notes. We've reproduced last week's article on our website, so it's easy to share access to our survey summary and analysis. Click here for the report.

Second, the only public notice about this proposed move we were aware of was the Evanston Now article published in late February. We've been poking around, looking for more context to share, and found it in the agenda for the May 26, 2021 Economic Development Committee meeting. Here's the relevant section:
B. Downtown Evanston Management of Evanston Farmers Market

Mr. Zalmezak introduced the item and opportunity to focus on higher service and drive new ideas, energy, and business to downtown Evanston. It can also provide Downtown with a new revenue source to help reduce the City’s financial assistance to Downtown. Ald. Braithwaite explained that this helps the market to stay in Evanston and creates opportunities to draw in more residents and much needed economic activity to the downtown area.

Ald Wynne asked whether it would happen this summer. Ald. Braithwaite responded there would need to be a year of transition to meet with current staff and farmers.

Ms. Dziekan said we should be supporting the market move to downtown and asked whether any consideration has been given to having it at Raymond Park. Locating downtown would help create a sense of place. She asked Director Hemingway if there was any downside to moving the market.

Director Hemingway responded that there was a lot of discussion over the original design and now they are trying to best manage this transition.

Ald. Rue Simmons asked if there would be any revenue loss by transitioning this market. Director Hemingway explained that it was a $50,0000 [sic] budget item but there are two seasonal staff members who manage the market. They collect vendor fees from farmers and pay for other City staff support. There are the resources to support it.

Ald. Rue Simmons asked whether Ms. Coakley was currently promoting the market. Ms. Coakley responded that they always promote the market and try to get people to stay out and visit businesses. They are still working out the logistics with Teska, the company working on the design. If Downtown Evanston was awarded the management contract, they could increase the
revenue stream with sponsorship dollars.

Ald. Wynne mentioned moving the market out of the parking lot could be beneficial since it is rather hidden currently. Fountain Square could be a bigger draw for residents and shoppers.

Locating the market in the center of downtown would enliven the market and energize the downtown area. She expressed support for enhancing the revenue and attracting more people.

Ms. Dziekan asked if there was an opportunity to survey or engage the current vendors and get their perspective on the changes. Ald. Braithwaite said he suggested talking with farmers to get their feedback.

Mr. Zalmezak said would likely operate in current location for at least another season or two. It would take some time to transition and plan.
You'll find this discussion in context by clicking right here. The excerpt starts on page 7.

After reading this in full, as opposed to the brief article, Friends believes that our decision to reach out to the vendors with our survey was even more important than we knew. We were looking for information rather than opinions about a move. If you wonder why, it's because there are literally no details about what a "Fountain Square" market would look like--no details about footprint, disposition of vehicles, support for SNAP/Link. We did get some vendor opinions noted in the margins, but we chose not to share those just yet.

We're only too happy, however, to share some of the comments we received from our readers. Your humble correspondent hasn't requested permission to share identities from those who wrote in, so these excerpts will be identified with initials only.


"A Farmer’s Mkt does not belong among retail stores. The reason the Evanston Market is so successful is because it all farmer’s, no little Choskey things mixed in like the French Mkts, then it no longer is a farmer’s Mkt. Retailers have their own spaces, and farmers deserve to have their’s also. You do not go into a retail space to buy fresh tomatoes, beans, and melons. A farmer’s Mkt needs space, and if the current space becomes not available, then find another parking lot or open space. This is an exceptional market and don’t mess with it!"
LS

"...the area is much too small to support all the farms and other vendors. It would be too crowded for lines of shoppers, especially with social distancing."
CH

"Thanks for developing and sharing the survey. 
I love the idea of having the farmers market on the streets and sidewalks of Evanston - with some vendors being at Fountain Square.

"I can see it working well to use a lane and the parking spaces of two of our one way streets and using them from 5am til 2pm each Saturday for vendors. Their vehicles could be parked near their booths for loading and unloading. Bathrooms should be available always - and a space for them can surely be made. Auto traffic is light on Saturday mornings so closing a lane would not inconvenience drivers.

"This may sound like a radical change but I believe the whole city would be enlivened on Saturdays if we took the market out of its hiding place and placed it right in the center of town."
S

"What additional revenue are you speaking of?

"Conversely, Fountain Square creates a bottleneck for drivers; forces shoppers to walk a block or more to parking, creating a disincentive to shop at all."
PA

"If the Evanston became less attractive for any reason, I expect that my husband and I would begin to utilize the Skokie Market on Sundays instead; we currently go there if our Saturday schedule doesn’t allow a trip to Evanston. While much smaller, especially during the pandemic, there are a number of good vendors and we would be able to get most of our shopping done (but not that good French bread). If it becomes necessary to move from the current site, I would encourage the Market to look for a site other than Fountain Square that would allow for as many vendors as possible to continue to come and maintain the convenience for vendors and customers. It would be a shame for a step to be taken that would diminish the market the same year that it had been named as the best in Illinois."
BK

"Rather than boosting patronage at other Evanston businesses, such a move could drive away farmers and shoppers alike. And if I stopped going to the Evanston market, I would also stop coming up from Chicago to patronize the local Whole Foods, Stumble and Relish, Warren's Shell station, the Jewel and other businesses that are conveniently on my errand route home. (I spend more money weekly in Evanston than I do in Chicago.)"
KF

No dearth of opinions in our community, and beyond! This is a sampling of the notes we received, and we're hoping--a lot!--that this will encourage more of our readers to send us their thoughts.

This proposal to move the market may not have many details as yet, but it is very real.

Almost 50% of our readers last week clicked on to our survey. If you are one of those, what do you think? Does a more visible farmers market mean more traffic? Do you feel that the Downtown Evanston Farmers Market is adequately promoted, whether by the city or by Downtown Evanston? Do you have any ideas that might generate a stronger link between shopping at the market and then continuing to spend money at the stores in downtown Evanston (short of physically moving the market)?

Friends of Evanston Farmers Markets wants to collect as much information as possible so that we can provide a voice for the vendors and the citizens who founded our market and sustain it as one of the best in the nation.

So please, send your comments and thoughts to us at info@evanstonfarmersmarkets.org. We'll make sure that everyone's comment are seen by the city and the EDC, as well as the vendors and anyone else who is interested.

Finally, here's the link to last week's article, the survey summary, and our analysis. Please share with anyone who shops at our farmers market.

Thanks to everyone who is passionate about the Downtown Evanston Farmers Market!
THIS YEAR'S BOILERPLATE AND DISCLAIMER:
If you need the details of place, time, and the guidelines under which the market is run, we've updated the information all over our website to reflect the details of this year's market. Click here to visit the update page, From there, you'll can visit other pages on the site for everything you need to know about the market.

We do our best to keep the info in this newsletter and on our website up-to-date. You can also keep up with info direct from the source by liking the Evanston Markets Facebook Page. or by visiting the city's farmers market page. For information provided on our own website, click here.
IT CONTINUES TO BE A TOUGH YEAR, AND MATCHING LINK FUNDS ARE MAKING THE DIFFERENCE FOR MANY FAMILIES.
DONATE TO JUST25+ TODAY AND HELP A FAMILY TO AFFORD MORE HEALTHY LOCAL FOOD.
This is the world's simplest campaign. We ask people to donate whatever they can to support our program to help families in need afford the healthy, local food that's the basis of a good diet. And we mean it when we say, "Just 25." Your donation of that amount funds 1 match for 1 week. It's elegant.

If you are new to this newsletter, we're talking about a program that gives people who are eligible for SNAP funds (essentially, food stamps) to obtain a match of up to 25 dollars when they withdraw funds with their Link cards at the farmers market. As Myra reported in her note on Facebook last week, usage at the market this year has been very high.

Our organization is well-funded for the coming season's match program, but the need won't go away, so neither will this campaign. Click the image above if you'd like to donate now, and click here if you would just like to know a little more about SNAP, Link, and what Friends does to support them.
Friends of Evanston Farmers Markets | info@evanstonfarmersmarkets.org | Evanstonfarmersmarkets.org