North of the James market closing
This is a bummer. Richmond Magazine reports:
The North of the James Market, a Thursday farmers-market staple at Bryan Park on Richmond’s North Side for the past two years, is flying south for the summer — and staying. As of May, when the new market season opens, the North Side market will instead be relocated to just west of the popular Saturday South of the James Market in Forest Hill Park, according to management with the Market Umbrella, which operates both farmers markets.
Organizers at The Market Umbrella cite scheduling issues and poor attendance as reasons for moving the market. Vendors can download an application for the, oddly named, “South-ER of the James Market” on the Market Umbrella website.
Note, this is NOT the same market as the Lakeside Farmers’ Market, which will indeed be open this year!
Disappointing, but that’s life. What’s really mind-boggling about this is the name, “South-ER of the James Market.” That just sounds ridiculous. Hopefully, they are putting more thought into other aspects of the market to make it work, but I’m not convinced.
For example, what is the appeal or value of a mid-week market. If I was determined to make a mid-week market work, I would think about a Tuesday or Wednesday. If I’ve made it all the way to Thursday, I’m going to probably wait until I go to my normal market on Saturday.
Location…Location….location. I felt this little market was just doomed from the beginning. I would have liked to see it somewhere on Bellevue, perhaps for a few hours in the parking lot there at the corner. I hope Lakeside continues to thrive.
Speaking of Lakeside Farmer’s Market, Lurlane, anyone know what the price is for renting one of the tables there? I’m thinking about selling my merchandise
this summer, and am searching out locations to do so. I’m not selling produce — at least, not yet. ( Still have to plant my veggie garden this April ). But, I do have an assortment of loose gemstones and hand-crafted beaded jewelry up for sell. If you or anyone have information on the Lakeside Farmer’s Market, it would be greatly appreciated.
The Bryan Park market was on Tuesdays, not Thursdays. I’ll miss it. I think it suffered from being too far off the beaten path for pedestrians and traffic. I hope some of the vendors from it go to the Lakeside Market to expand it’s offerings.