Downtown Clearwater Farmer's Market

Downtown Clearwater

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A local musician adds life to the atmosphere of Farmer’s Market - Photo by Ian Phoenix

Farmer’s Market Moves

Clearwater, FL (February 2009) - The Downtown Clearwater Farmer’s Market has moved to Cleveland Street, between Ft. Harrison and Garden Avenue. Instead of being squeezed in a corner of the City Hall parking lot, its former home, the Farmer’s Market now has a block of its own every Wednesday from 10:00am until 2:00pm.

The new location of the market will bring more traffic to Cleveland Street and the downtown area, and in addition to supporting the local businesses that sell their goods each week, it will improve the commerce along this section of Cleveland Street. Tourists and locals will be able to walk through the middle of the street while they enjoy live music and sample fresh honey from Eden’s Nectar Honey or smoked fish spread from Island Fish.

Interested shoppers looked over the goods and fresh produce - Photo by Ian Phoenix

“Bob and Daughter Produce” had a long line of customers reaching all the way to the other side of the street on the first day at their new location. “This is the first day back and it’s been absolutely awesome,” says the owner. And are you receiving more business? “Yes, definitely. People walking by see it where they didn’t see it before.”

In fact, all the way from Starbucks to Dunkin’ Donuts, the vendors are raving about the increased business. The owner of Lutz Nuts says, “I like this much better. I like not being in a parking lot. It’s attracting more people!” She is optimistic about the future of the Farmer’s Market. “It will just get better.”

A glimpse of the fresh goods available at the Market - Photo by Ian Phoenix

Even local businesses who don’t have a booth on the street are benefiting from the location switch. On the sidewalk, Caliyogurt offers free samples of their California-style frozen yogurt and tea. Phillip Park, the owner, says he’s glad that the Farmer’s Market is now set up directly outside of his shop. “[The Farmer’s Market] brings the people, so it’s a good thing.”

The move to a more prominent part of town is thanks to Bob Fernandez, who runs The Farmer’s Market with his family. “We’d thought it’d be a better location,” he said. He has been running the Farmer’s Market for fourteen years with his family and also commented, “We love being a part of Clearwater.”

But does this new location pose any problems? Yes, for Alain Guillaume at The Belgian Pearl. At the end of the day, he was completely sold out of his Belgian Waffles, made from a recipe from Liege (in Belgium), and did not have a sample to offer a young reporter snooping around. Which, he commented, is a good problem to have.

- Tampa Bay Informer
The Good News Newspaper

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