they didn't invent Saturday mornings at Findlay Market, thats just silly
Been some interesting discussions lately on parking at Findlay and the disappearance of smaller farmers selling produce.
My thoughts on the smaller farmers disappearing is this, I've noticed as farmers have left and been replaced by shops selling prepared food that the amount of people have increased. Seeing how the popularity of farmers markets is increasing across the country I don't know if this is a coincidence or cause and effect.
On the parking front, seems many people I've talked to don't feel its a lack of parking that is the issue, the problem is its all condensed into a couple hour period on a Saturday afternoon. The most interesting proposal I've heard came from a shop owner proposing they charge for parking from noon to 2pm on Saturday and Sundays to spread out the customers.
Interesting idea.
One thing I do know, the bike is the way to get there.
The best kept secret at Findlay? Dojo Gelato has a new espresso machine which I've been taking advantage of. If my Sundays consist of sitting on the tweetdeck with the NYTimes and a coffee and cigar, my Saturdays are going to be a laid back espresso and cigar at the market.
I found a link to the 350 project on The City Flea blog. Now I've been preaching this forever, you buy something from a local owner and the majority of the money stays right here. Buy something from a chain and the majority of the money leaves. So, make a commitment to spend $50 a month at three of your favorite local businesses, a dime and change over $4 a business for $12.50 a week! and watch the community grow.
This is why we need to, have to stop designing cities for cars and start thinking about people again. One of the biggest reasons for the rise of farmers markets is the space they create. A piazza, walkable and enjoyable. All you have to do is take a look around Findlay and Fountain Square to know this is true. When the Banks and Washington Park come online just watch them explode with people too. Does it get anymore big city feel than this, a group of friends splitting a loaf of bread and drinking coffee. Then a couple walking past with flowers and munching bread mimicked a one of the first Parisians we saw walking around on vacation last year.
12 comments
Wonderful as always!
ReplyDeleteNot sure of my thoughts on the subject of parking at Findlay, but as you know that poses no problem for me. The importance of shopping local cannot be overstatated, even a little Google digging shows the plethora of positive effects of doing so.
Give me a poke, getting some CV folks together for drinks on Sunday.....
I always go to Findlay on Sunday and it's still crazy but not as crazy as Saturday's.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, why have all of the independent farmers disappeared? Last year when I started going regularly there were tons of them, this year there's like 4?
I always made sure to shop from them first since there were independent/local gardeners and then go through all the store fronts. Plus there was this amazing guy from Indiana that sold all these different varieties of cheese, his habanero one was amazing.
I wonder if a lot of the independent farmers are showing up at the local farmer's markets and choosing to skip the craziness of Findlay. Hyde Park has exploded this year since they moved it to the square. Bellevue and Mt. Lookout both have new markets.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteFindlay Market seems to be transitioning more towards the type of market North Market in Columbus has become. In other words, it's fast becoming a place to eat at with a diminished focus on produce.
ReplyDeleteI'm anxious to see what the Streetcar does for Findlay Market. I think we'll see it become the preferred method of transportation to the market for downtowners in the basin. This will free up the parking for more suburbanite visitors during peak times and expand the potential for market vendors!
I live on the west side and I catch the bus to Findlay (and everywhere else). I never thought about the parking issue :) I hope Findlay keeps some produce and cook-at-home products, my friend lives nearby and she likes it much better than Kroger.
ReplyDeletethey're not leaving because of the craziness, they're leaving because Findlay jacked up their rates-- and they can't afford it.
ReplyDeleteI've been a vendor at The City Flea and Crafty Supermarket. I'm originally from Akron, currently in Indiana and have been consistently surprised by Cincinnati. Sometimes, the North Ohioans forget about this city and it's quickly become my favorite. As an avid public transportation fan, Cincinnati is quickly becoming one of the most livable cities in the US with a thriving local economy. And I think it's that way because you guys are really really into it. I can't believe the amount of press and publicity all these great local things get. Basically, I'm hugely jealous and will be looking for a job in Cincy as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteNot sure who you are last commenter but I'm from Ytown and most of my family lives in the Akron/Canton area. I agree with you 100%, before moving here I can't recall talking about or hearing anyone mention Cincinnati.
ReplyDeleteWell the secret is getting out now isn't it?
Great post Bob, The 350 project is one every local consumer and biz should get behind.
ReplyDeleteJulie is right, the farmers moved because of another increase. We like Bellevue and the other markets but they don't have the wide array of products that Findlay has and we don't have time to hit them all. Northside is great during the week and Hyde Park on Sun if I miss Blue oven is sometimes a stop. The locavore movement has probably been the major driving force behind the far market success. Val who runs…
http://cincinnatilocavore.blogspot.com/
and…
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CinciLocavore/messages
Was the primary local driving force starting about 5 years ago, that’s when the growth gained momentum. BTW the Google group is a great resource and way to interact with local farmers.
Findlay has become a victim of their own success, despite management and a so-so $16 mil redo 10 years ago that someone made a killing on and arrogant management. Aisles are still too narrow, so is the farmer’s shed and the lighting is hideous. They are finally remodeling the bathrooms; they have been disgusting for years. One of our gripes is a lack of reasonable ATM fees, there is only one and it charges a high fee, consequently ever week we have to make an extra stop on the way there. When we approached management about the issue and suggested that Findlay would benefit if they provided a no cost ATM or at least got local banks to put some in, they were, well not at all willing to even consider it and downright annoyed we asked.
We have watched the parking problem go from bad to worse, it is terrible from 10 to 2 on Sat. Timing is the key, a pre 9 am arrival is the preferred solution. Problem is I can't get enough coffee into my wife and pry her out of bed until after 9. This seriously impacts parking and my Blue oven choices.
We have watched vendors come and go and the market grow, Findlay is part of the fabric of our lives, we have been going for 20 years, it is our main shopping stop. We eat almost no processed or fast food and cook from scratch so we buy almost everything we eat there, we used to go and spend $60, now it is pushing double that. Our Kroger, Big Lots and Trader Joes runs are for stuff like Hellman’s mayo, Traders Catsup, foil, plastic wrap, paper stuff.
Findlay is community, we get to see and talk to people, interact with the vendors who provide our food. That's how it should be. I have a saying, “stay close to your food and away from your doctor” There used to be nine community markets in Cincinnati. Every Sat morning I take inventory, clean out the fridge and we decide what we are eating for the week, we make a list and head to Findlay. We hit the farm shed first, then Pet Wants for dog food and doggie crack (really Eckerlins jerky), then the veg vendors and Krause, Madisons, Deans, sometimes Silverglades and Coronal D for spices. We wander around and grab something to eat like an Ekerlin's cheeseburger or our current fave is Eil’s BBQ pork, yum.
Great post, thanks, hope to see you there.
Thistlehair, Turner, Greensleeves, Napoleon Ridge, and more have all left Findlay for Bellevue due to higher prices and a new market manager who is, frankly, mismanaging. We used to go to Findlay every Saturday morning, but we now go to Bellevue on Saturdays, then hit Findlay on another day of the week for dry goods, gelato, etc. when it's a little less crazy. I have to say, I am happy for the farmers that they found another Saturday market when Findlay seemingly turned their backs on the farmers, but it does make grocery shopping quite a bit more difficult.
ReplyDeleteyeah, findlay raised the rates in the farmshed (part of the reason for that was that the city cut its $90k contribution) and they were ham-handed about explaining this winter. So people made some choices- some left, some decided to just sell 6 more pounds of tomatoes. Done.
ReplyDeleteSarah, since you haven't been to FM this year, you've taken the word of some farmers who left with an axe to grind (although turner left, they're sponsoring a fund raiser for FM). I'll eat my sweat soaked t-shirt if you find a farm in the shed who has a problem with the new market manager. She has been a breath of fresh air working hard to meet the needs of farmers and consumers- providing ice water (simple right, but no one had taken the time to think about it before, yet it's drained twice a market) and working on everyone's farm for a day (since she knows what she's doing, that help pretty much took care of the fee increase right there).
Like most things in OTR and Cinci, it's complicated (in a cash strapped city, tell me that $90k should go to Findlay instead of keeping pools open last week...).