When the Conway Farmers Market moved three years ago from the YBMA Fairgrounds to a downtown parking lot, it was hailed as the greatest
thing since sliced bread.
However, because of a conflict with the city’s need for parking, the market moved again and opened May 11 in the Antioch Baptist Church parking lot near Interstate 40.
“The city kind of kicked us out,” said Tom Green of Atkins, president of the Conway Farmers Market Board. “They said they needed the parking lot for something else.”
The market was held from 7 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in the parking lot at Main and Parkway streets.
District Court across the street on Parkway expanded its proceedings in January from three to five days a week.
Kami Marsh, market adviser, said the market was given an option.
She said that in January, she got a conference call from Mayor Tab Townsell; Brad Lacy, chamber president; and Kim Williams, executive director of the Conway Downtown Partnership.
Marsh said they suggested holding a night market on Tuesdays and Thursdays and have normal hours on Saturdays.
“Nobody’s kicked anybody out,” Marsh said. “The mayor didn’t really say we had to move. We chose to move because we couldn’t do a night market.”
“That’s kicked out, if you ask me,” Green said.
“We didn’t kick them out,” Williams said. “We offered what I thought was a viable solution — having a night market, which many, many of our downtown merchants had suggested.
“Night markets fit better with small kids, families and working and things,” she said.
Green said a night market wouldn’t work.
“For one thing, it’s not feasible,” he said. “It doesn’t fit in our schedule. We’ve got to spend at least so many hours out in the field to have anything to bring up there.”
Marsh said night markets can work, but she doesn’t think one would in the populated downtown Conway area.
“The hard part of doing a night market — it’s doable — if you have a location that’s not a parking lot during the day,” Marsh said.
“If we were to have a 5 o’clock night market, it takes an hour to set up, so it would be at least 6 p.m.,” she said. “Who’s there to buy? They all went home.”
Maria Barbarotto, a board member and five-year vendor, agreed.
“The farmers, as soon as they leave the market — they usually go and work on their farms. To be honest, we did some of the third Thursdays (evenings), and with the exception of one month, which was the month of June, it was financially disastrous,” Barbarotto said.
Williams said that with the court increasing its days of operation, plus new companies such as PrivacyStar locating downtown, parking is at a premium.
She said the market vendors didn’t have parking for their customers, either, after they filled the parking lot with their booths.
Barbarotto agreed that was a problem.
“Parking was an issue. … That’s one of the reasons we chose Antioch — that parking is so open,” she said.
“The city of Conway wanted to begin to issue tickets. People were pulling in front instead of parking across the street” and walking to the farmers market, she said.
Also, the market was supposed to be from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., but it got so hot on the asphalt that by 11:30 or noon, vendors who had sold most of their items left.
“I have to be really, really honest and say sales and customer count never rebounded [after] moving downtown from the old fairgrounds,” Barbarotto said.
“It was supposed to be a big deal that all of downtown would be coming to the market, and that honestly did not happen.”
She said the market had no choice but to leave the former YBMA (Young Business Men’s Association) Fairgrounds because the city was turning the site into a baseball complex, Conway Station Park.
Marsh said that as soon as she found out about the District Court needing the parking, she scrambled to find a place for the market.
Although Antioch Baptist Church is not considered a permanent location, Barbarotto, Marsh and Green all said the first farmers market at the church on Amity Road was successful.
“It was awesome,” Marsh said. “We had 17 vendors, and some sold out by 8:30. I’m excited.”
“Everybody was pretty happy,” Green said.
“I love the market,” Barbarotto said, “and last week, 50, 60 percent of the customers were new. That’s kind of the hope.”
The market was held in conjunction with an annual Master Gardeners plant sale, so time will tell if customers keep coming to the market, Barbarotto said.
On Monday, following the second market in the new location, Green said, it didn’t go as well.
“Definitely not as well as the first Saturday,” he said. “They just don’t know where we’re at.”
Barbarotto said the market will move from a grassy area at Antioch Baptist Church to concrete closer to the building because of complaints from senior citizens and people trying to push strollers that the ground is unsteady.
“I won’t say it’s ideal,” Marsh said. “It’s not the best location, but it is a location.”
She said the Conway Commons shopping center is well-populated, so potential customers are nearby.
“The chamber is looking for us to get another place downtown,” she said.
The “dream” Marsh said, is to have a permanent facility for the farmers market.
“I would love for them to have their own location where they could be open year-round,” Marsh said.
“That’s the dream; it’s just been on hold.”
Conway architect Rik Sowell has made drawings for a market facility, she said.
“I would love them to have a pavilion — this is big, big dreams,” Marsh said.
If property could be found, Marsh said, she would like to have a building with a classroom, a certified kitchen and a storefront to sell the farmers’ goods.
Green agreed that a permanent location would be best.
“We just don’t have the money,” he said. “We got a grant for a little dab; it’s just a start.”
Marsh said she and the board were working with a grant
writer and making plans when the word came in January about the parking problem downtown.
She also got sick and was off work for five days.
“Then it became crisis management,” she said.
Vendors pay $50 dues per spot, with a two-space maximum.
“We don’t charge anything for vendors for every time they show up,” Green said. “Most markets do.”
Barbarotto said she would love to have a permanent space for the market, too.
“Ultimately, we want to grow the market,” she said.
Marsh said the farmers market has a good relationship with the city.
“We’re still a member of the Downtown Partnership. They have been phenomenal with us,” Marsh said.
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.