Year-Round Farmers Market Downtown? Not So Fast, Say Local Merchants

Everyone agrees that bringing people downtown is a good thing.

But some Novato merchants are up in arms over a plan to host a year-round Saturday farmers market on Sherman Avenue, saying it will negatively impact business.

“I love the idea of a farmers market, but the problem is parking,” said Helen Saenz, co-owner of Alice Becker Apparel on Grant Avenue.

She said customers already complain about having to circle around on Tuesday afternoons looking for a spot to park.

“The farmers market doesn’t bring us business,” Saenz said. “In fact, it’s an inconvenience for our customers.”

Darren Pomponio, president of the Downtown Novato Business Association, said the organization is contemplating extending a year-round farmers market following a request from the current operator. 

“This is all to help get people downtown, but we want to make sure we’re on the same page with the merchants,” he said. “A lot of stores don’t open until 10am, so people could go to the farmers market (which would open at 8am Saturday) and stop by stores on their way out.”

No contract has been signed and the DNBA will hold a meeting Wednesday to discuss the plan.

The idea is controversial in part because some merchants are still smarting from the recent downtown revitalization that reduced available parking.

“It’s about business, and we’ve been promised over and over again that a new location would be found for the Tuesday farmers market and that hasn’t happened,” said Tara Voight, owner of Always Pampered, a salon on Grant Avenue.

“People love the idea of the farmers market, but it doesn’t mean they are going to it. And the ones that are, are not the same people going into our stores,” Voight said.

Saenz suggests that the Saturday market could be held at a nearby park or an empty lot where, creating a fun weekend event Novatoans crave and draw people downtown without impacting nearby businesses.

Would you like to see a Saturday farmers market in Novato? And if so, what would be a good location?

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