PORT ANGELES — For the first time in nearly four years, the Saturday Port Angeles Farmers Market returned to downtown last week.
The move may be temporary.
The 22 vendors open for business Saturday were following in the path of the Wednesday market by giving the pavilion at The Gateway, at Front and Lincoln streets, a try.
The Wednesday market made the move from the Clallam County Courthouse parking lot officially July 1 after two free trials. The set rate for the year is $75 a day.
The farmers market board of directors may make a similar decision for the Saturday market if its vendors also are supportive of making the move from the courthouse.
The Saturday market moved from downtown to the courthouse in December 2005 when the City Council voted not to extend its permit to close a block of Laurel Street because of complaints from several merchants nearby.
Meeting today
A meeting between vendors who participated in the free trial Saturday and customers will be held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. today at the Port Angeles Library to determine if the move will be made or if another trial is needed.
Only those vendors who participated Saturday will be allowed to participate.
The response from the vendors at the market Saturday was positive.
“This is the best day I’ve ever had,” said Gloria Howard of QuilBay Seafood.
With only an hour to go, she had nearly sold out of seafood.
Howard attributed her sales to higher foot traffic at The Gateway than at the courthouse parking lot.
While there were no official numbers, Market Manager Cynthia Warne said the number of customers appeared higher.
“There’s a constant flow of people,” she said, attributing that to the market being in a more central location.
Setup difficulties
Connie Lee of No Idle Daze found it more difficult to set up at The Gateway because of its limited vehicle access but added that, overall, she likes the location.
“It’s really not that bad,” she said, citing volunteers who helped her set up that day, including Richard Bonine, deputy recreation director.
To use The Gateway’s pavilion, vendors have to drive in one at a time or park on the road or in the transit center’s parking areas and then haul in their equipment and merchandise.
Since the free parking spaces at The Gateway are for three hours only, at least one of the vendors had to re-park during the day, Warne said.
Despite having the largest setup, the employees of Nash’s Organic Produce said they have been able to make it work.
“We love this spot,” said Nash chef Mike Shethan, citing the central location and cooler temperatures for the vegetables.
For some, the limited vehicle access appeared too burdensome.
Five of the market’s vendors did not show up because of their own concerns with the facility, Warne said.
One of them, Denise Brennan, said the logistics were just too much of a hassle.
Brennan, who owns Princess Valiant Coffee, said she doesn’t have time to wait in line to drive in to set up, and she would have a difficult time hauling her equipment if she chose to park before setting up shop.
“I can’t haul my coffee grinder half a block,” said Brennan, 59.
She said at least two or three other vendors who didn’t use The Gateway on Saturday have similar concerns.
But what bothers her the most is that she won’t be able to speak at the Monday meeting since she didn’t vend at The Gateway on Saturday.
“I just think that’s absolutely wrong,” Brennan said.
In defense of the decision, Warne said, “If they didn’t come here and vend, then they can’t have an opinion on how it works.”
She said the market board still will take the opinions of the vendors who didn’t use The Gateway into consideration.
“We’ve listened endlessly to their concerns,” Warne said.
She said she would prefer them to give The Gateway a shot so that market staff and volunteers can see if those concerns can be overcome.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
