Sunday, May 14, 2006

Trenton Farmers Market: what next?

The Trenton Farmers Market (these guys have an ugly Web site for such a successful business, but maybe they don't need a nice one -- they're not selling anything online) was written up in today's Times (Yeske, C. "Farmers Market Looks to Grow") of Trenton, with a plan for expansion -- if not in space, then at least in time. It just started being open on Sundays, for instance. They're also looking at
  • a facelift -- the walls are currently garage doors
  • year-round merchandise (they have seller space, especially during the off-season, as most of the merchants are, well, farmers)
  • and changing traffic patterns around the place, which is located near the busiest intersection within five miles of my home.
The people who have businesses there are looking at the possibility of competing with a nearby Wal-Mart that's been proposed. They also are thinking about changing the name, because "Trenton" suggests "urban," and to some, "gang violence." (That's one of the principal reasons that what was once "Trenton State College" is now known as the "College of New Jersey," you know.) Plus, the place is every bit as much in Lawrence and Ewing as it is in Trenton.

For my part, getting in and out of the place is the real issue. It's really crowded on some of its open days (it hasn't been open every day) during growing season. We park in the Halo Farm dairy next door and walk over.

There are also parts on the inside that stink. Out behind the Farmers Market itself is the smelliest little fish market I have ever seen. I was inside this little old fish closet for a few minutes and it literally made me sick. It may be gone by now: I haven't the nerve to look. And I can't buy anything there. The place draws bugs and who knows what else. If they want to improve the place, tear that shack down for starters. Then we can talk.

Labels:

posted by Ron @ 5:12 PM

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home