What was the real reason behind the early closing of the Farmers
Market? It’s my understanding it was poor community support along
with poor promoting and advertising on the part of the Hollister
Downtown Association.
The market was just the right size. Not too big to walk and not
so crowded you couldn’t breathe. This combined with fresh fruit,
vegetables, fish, excellent sausages and meats and much more, along
with a weekly barbecue, added up to an enjoyable Wednesday
afternoon outing. For many, the market provided a social
outlet.
What was the real reason behind the early closing of the Farmers Market? It’s my understanding it was poor community support along with poor promoting and advertising on the part of the Hollister Downtown Association.
The market was just the right size. Not too big to walk and not so crowded you couldn’t breathe. This combined with fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, excellent sausages and meats and much more, along with a weekly barbecue, added up to an enjoyable Wednesday afternoon outing. For many, the market provided a social outlet.
In the past, the market was held on Sixth Street, between San Benito and Monterey streets. This location, perhaps, better generated more foot traffic from the downtown working population.
If the market is to return to Hollister next year and be successful (rumor says it will not return), the Downtown Association must promote and market it for success.
It would behoove the Downtown Association to contact Watsonville and ask them to share their promoting and advertising skills, as Watsonville has one of the most successful Farmers Market. One of their marketing tools is to run a 6 1/2 by 10 3/4 ad in the Pajaronian each week the day before the market. This is an advertisement that will get people’s attention unlike the 1 by 2 blurb put in the bulletin board section of the Free Lance, which will get the attention of no one.
Another tool used by Watsonville is to print 81/2 by 11 fliers on color paper along with a $5 coupon to be used at any vendor booth at the market. The flier and coupon are inserts into the daily newspaper for distribution the day before the market.
Since vendors travel long distances to participate in good faith, it was deceitful of the Downtown Association to not properly promote and advertise our local Farmers Market.
Did the Downtown Association let the Farmers Market vendors down? You bet!
Was the Farmers Market set up to fail? You bet!
We mustn’t let our Farmers Market die. If we really want it back next year, we must fight to keep it.
Noreen Martin,
Hollister
