by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
In only three years, the downtown farmers’ market has changed locations and has doubled its amount of vendors.
In April 2002, the farmers’ market was on Hogan Street, between Adams and Monroe Streets. It moved in 2004 to Hemming Plaza and it became the Hemming Plaza Farmers’ Market.
“We moved to expand and to allow space for more vendors,” said Amy Harrell, business development manager for Downtown Vision, Inc. “It was hard to expand there (on Hogan Street) having a busy street in the middle.”
She said they had their “core vendors” like produce and flowers when the farmers’ market first opened, but now there are over 20 vendors.
Karen Barnes, director of promotions for Downtown Vision Inc., said now there is a wide spectrum of vendors. Some of the vendors include produce, fresh bread, fresh flowers, chair massage and natural beauty products.
“We have a little bit of everything,” said Barnes.
She said the location at Hemming Plaza gives downtown workers, residents and visitors the opportunity to be outside of the office and enjoy the outdoors and the city.
“It is a positive event for downtown,” said Barnes. “They (the vendors) like the pedestrian traffic and having a sense of community.”