Charlottesville City Market

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Charlottesville City Market, established in 1973,[1] is the largest outdoor market serving the Charlottesville community. City Market offers fresh produce, herbs, plants, grass feed meats, crafts, and baked goods from local vendors every Saturday from 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. - April-October and every Saturday in November from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Location

The market has been located in a 35,762 square foot [2]city parking lot on Water Street since 1993, in what was originally to be a "temporary" home[3].


In November 2010, City Council appointed a task force to study new locations[3]. The Water Street location offers less than an acre of space for a population of over 100 vendors[4]. A new, permanent location might offer increased accessibility for vehicles and handicapped vendors or patrons, running water, bathrooms, seating, and electricity in addition to space for the 130 vendors on the 2010 waiting list[5]. However, vendors and members of the non-profit organization Market Central, created for the enhancement and preservation of the City Market, worry that a new location more remote from the Downtown Mall might negatively affect market attendance[6].

The task force concluded in the summer of 2011 that the market should stay put for at least three years. [7] They also recommended it be considered as a permanent location as part of mixed-use market district. A group called the Charlottesville Market District Alliance was created in order to campaign for that eventuality. [8]

However, Charlottesville economic development officials have argued that the land is more valuable for redevelopment. City Council has not made a decision as of the opening of the 2012 season. [9]

In October 2012, Charlottesville hired Maine-based Market Ventures to produce a $100,000 study of the idea of creating the market district. They are expected to complete their work by As of March 2013. [10]


2010 Market expansion

In 2010, the market expanded to First Street, allowing for more vendors and attendees. In May 2010, the city announced that sales are up for this year as a result[11].

Sales results

year sales ($)
2009 [12]1,085,646.11
2008 [12]1,083,999.81

Vendors

There is online access to vendor information through the Charlottesville Market’s main page”[13]. Other than multiple links posted from the vendors and Market itself, there is a TAG Cloud for item searching ranging from arugula to Shungiku. Likewise, the Categories List serves the same purpose as it leads to the vendors who sell items such as soap or the individuals who are looking for information on alternative payments. Both sidebars lead to specific pages that give an overview of some of the market vendors for that particular item or category. These pages function as an opportunity for the vendors to advertise their products and for buyers to gain additional information from local artisans and farmers. Some vendors even post video clips and list their prize items for sale, such as “The Best Key Lime Pie on the Planet”[14].

Vendor Regulations

Before establishing a stall, vendors are required to register with the City Market Manager and complete the Farmers Contract, which can be found on the Charlottesville City Market website. Vendors must pay a fee of $20 to participate in the City Market, in addition to a 6% slot fee to be paid following the close of each City Market day[15]. The market's goal for the allocation of space is to reserve 50% for farmers (defined as vendors of produce such as fruits, vegetables, live plants, meat, and dairy products), 25% for food vendors (vendors who offer baked, canned, or packaged food), and 25% for artisans (vendors selling an artistic service or arts, crafts, and jewelry products)[16].

Food Policy

Vendors have to meet state requirements for several factors before being allowed to sell their products at the market. According to Stephanie Anderegg-Maloy, the Market Manager, the houses and farms of the vendors have to be regularly inspected to ensure the health and quality of the residence before vendors are allowed to sell their products at the market. There are also more specific requirements that must be met when dealing with raw meat, poultry, and seafood. In these cases, the vendors are required to obtain a permit from both the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health in order to sell. A USDA sticker is also required with these items to state the item’s weight and description. The state also goes as far as to inspect all scales to issue a valid certification sticker through the Virginia Department of Weights and Measures. These measures are all to guarantee the safety of the food and costumers.[17].

Holiday market

From the first Friday and Saturday in November until the weekend before Christmas Day, a seasonal Holiday City Market operates from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. This market is held on the East end of the Downtown Mall[15]. Handmade holiday decorations and gifts are sold[18].

Staff

Stephanie Anderegg-Maloy is the City Market Manager.[19]

Other City and Regional markets

The other market in Charlottesville is Growers in the Park which takes place on Wednesdays from May to August in Meade Park. The city also has a farmers' market at Pen Park from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm every Tuesday May through September. [20]

A Farmers' Market operates in Scottsville on Saturdays in the summer from 9am until 12 Noon and Thursdays from 3pm until 7pm.

Video

YouTube Charlottesville City Market 2010 on Meet The Farmer TV

References

  1. Web. Charlottesville City Market - About, retrieved 5 April 2012.
  2. Web. Water Street Lots Owner Information, City of Charlottesville, Page 148, retrieved December 5, 2011.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Web. Task force to study future of City Market, Daily Progress, Media General, November 5, 2010, retrieved November 5, 2010.
  4. Web. The Future of the Charlottesville City Market Discussed, Richmond Times-Dispatch, retrieved 2 Jan. 2011.
  5. "City Council Work Session Minutes." 4 Nov. 2010. <http://www.marketcentralonline.org/market_central_site/City_Council_11_4_10_files/Work%20Session%20minutes%2011-04-10.pdf> retrieved 2 Jan. 2010.
  6. Web. Food for Thought: Where to Put the City Market, Dave McNair, The Hook, Better Publications LLC, 9 Nov. 2010, retrieved retrieved 2 Jan. 2011.
  7. Web. An unmovable feast - Task force envisions Downtown market district, Chiara Canzi, C-VILLE Weekly, Portico Publications, July 12, 2011, retrieved July 12, 2011.
  8. Web. Group Hopes To Find New Home For City Market, Newsradio 1070 WINA, retrieved April 10, 2012.
  9. Web. As season opens Saturday, City Market future still unclear, Graham Moomaw, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, April 6, 2012, retrieved April 10, 2012.
  10. Web. City launches study on farmer's market area, Graham Moomaw, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, October 18, 2012, retrieved October 22, 2012.
  11. City of Charlottesville. City Market Continue to See Record Attendance and Sales Figures. Charlottesville, 17 May 2010. Web. 17 May 2010. <http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/docs/20100517-City-Market-Press-Release.pdf>.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Web. City Market Sets Record, Holiday Market to Begin in November, News and Press Releases, City of Charlottesville, 20 Oct. 2009
  13. "City Market Farmers and Vendors." retrieved 2 Jan. 2011. <http://vendors.charlottesvillecitymarket.com/>.
  14. "Free Union Produce and & Gourmet Edibles." retrieved 2 Jan. 2011. <http://vendors.charlottesvillecitymarket.com/category/bakers>.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Web. City of Charlottesville Standard Operating Procedure, retrieved 2 Jan 2011.
  16. "Reserved Space Agreement for the 2010 City Market." retrieved 2 Jan. 2011. <http://manager.charlottesvillecitymarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Reserved-Space-Agreement-2010.pdf>.
  17. "City of Charlottesville Standard Operating Procedure." retrieved 3 Jan. 2011. <http://www.charlottesvillecitymarket.com/2010%20docs/regs.pdf>.
  18. Web. Holiday City Market, City of Charlottesville, retrieved January 2, 2011.
  19. Web. [1], City of Charlottesville, retrieved 16 Jan. 2011.
  20. Web. The Market at Pen Park, City of Charlottesville, retrieved May 1, 2012.

External links