A highly-anticipated farmers market in North Beach is on track to open on Saturdays this spring—hopefully in early May—on Green Street between Columbus and Grant.
"We were pushing last year to see if we could get it started in the fall and have a few of the last months of the year while it’s still warmer and while things are still more in season," said Danny Sauter, one of the organizers. "We were close, but we decided to hold off until the new year, the new season."
Sauter said the Agricultural Institute of Marin, which manages seven other markets in the area, is coordinating the vendors. It's had 99 applications for 50 spots. The overwhelming priority for the roughly 300 people who filled out a survey last year was fresh produce, he said, so those vendors should make up at least half of the stalls, with ready-to-eat and packaged food interspersed.
The next step for the market will be to get approval for the street closure, Sauter said. Once they know the exact date of the hearing at the Interdepartmental Staff Committee on Traffic and Transportation (ISCOTT), he said, "The plan is to put together support from the community and letters of support. As the Institute was opening up the Clement Street market a few years ago, they received about 200 letters of support, so we’re going to look to do a similar push this year for North Beach."
Photo: Google Street View.
Sauter said studies show farmers markets increase foot traffic, which improves revenue for existing businesses too. "We want to do outreach to businesses in the area and let them know this is coming." Trish Herman of North Beach Neighbors will get involved, too. "She will be really important as we start to talk to existing businesses in the area," he said.
Hours of the market aren't set yet, but Sauter said it'll probably be open in the morning, maybe around 10am–1pm.
