Project for Public Spaces, Inc., the consultant hired by the City Market of Halifax Cooperative and the Halifax Port Authority to study operations and management of the Seaport Farmers Market, has released its report to market investors.
I haven’t had time to read the entire 67-page report, but at first glance it appears to be well thought out.
You can read the report here.
This article appears in May 17-23, 2012.
12 million so some old dude can sell perogies and some chick can sell her etsy crap.
Money well spent.
I take it you’ve never been then, since you haven’t got a clue what goes on there.
I’ve only been going for about 10 years and I do go as little as possible, stocking up on what I need, meats and produce-wise. I don’t need wooden bowls, lavender candles, or a puppet show. The hipsters provide *some* entertainment but even that gets a little annoying after awhile.
I’m there weekly for the staples as well and rarely buy anything non-edible. But do you think that the craft vendors and the entertainers are somehow reducing the number of patrons?
Oh- well, if Cranky doesn’t want crafts, I guess they shouldn’t be there *rolls eyes* Some people like handmade things.
I don’t need anything from MicMac Mall except for socks. Therefore, I’ve created a petition to force all non-socks-selling shops to shutter.
People can sell and buy all of the trinkets and trash that they want. I’m ok with that. What I’m not ok with is subsidizing mompreneurs and sock puppet afficiados.
But for that matter, I’m not for using public money to fund private enterprises, yes even tastey ones like Getaway Farms, Roselane Farms, etc etc.
It’s hard to understand how the market got this far along and built a $14 million structure that according to the report was obviously designed by people with no clue what a market required, or at least got built that way (maybe the original design got corrupted along the way). The part I don’t get was that it was sold all along as a 7 day a week operation, yet the vendors/members don’t want to be there 7 days a week. They cannot have it both ways. Then of course you have the rump movement who stayed behind in the old Brewery, further diluting the customer appeal.
I can’t stand the place on Saturdays between the crowds of hipsters, the earth mother types selling tea cozies and craft junk, and the F150-sized strollers blocking the aisles, along with the general bedlam. I would happily go another day to buy veggies if anyone showed up to sell them.