Vendors and the market manager for the Hollister Downtown Certified Farmers’ Market have noticed foot traffic tends to decline each year at the end of summer. This year, however, the event organizer acknowledged a general decrease in overall traffic as well.
Market Manager Tammy Jackson credits the yearly decline in the later months of the summer to last-minute vacations before school starts or school actually starting, she said. But at least one vendor mentioned how the slump—which several of them said coordinates with the July 4 weekend—may have more to do with seasonal crops.
Jackson noticed general attendance has been slower overall this year, though it started especially high and was initially greater than previous years, she said. The decreased count seems to affect farmers most since the traffic for food vendors is “constant or better than it’s ever been,” she said.
“I think we started out better but I think we are a little bit less than we were last year overall even though the beginning started out stronger,” she said.
Mason Ankeney, the chief of sales for Cipponeri Family Farms, noticed when the market slowed down in 2015, a pattern he saw last year, too. When the market starts, stands are brimming with apricots, cherries, peaches and nectarines, Ankeney explained. Then, there is a lull where only peaches and nectarines are in season around mid-June and early July, he said.
Unfortunately, about the time visitors tire of the offerings, new crops start coming into season, he explained.
“Like grapes. Grapes came in like a week ago,” he told the Free Lance in an Aug. 5 interview. “This is the first week of pears.”
Shopper Betty Bucci used the market Aug. 5 as a way to get the vine-ripened fruit she couldn’t get from her own backyard this year after she chose not to grow her typical plot of tomatoes due to the drought.
“If I’m not on a business trip or vacation, then I’m here on a Wednesday,” she said as she selected fresh tomatoes from a cardboard box at Pinnacle Organic’s booth.
Bucci returned to the market that day after missing it for several weeks because she was out of town, she said. It’s the organic produce that keeps her coming back.
“The quality is really good. It’s fresh,” she said. “I do buy it in the grocery store but it’s fresher here.”
When asked if a greater organic offering in grocery stores affects sales, Ankeney—who was handing out fruit samples—sighed.
“It’s tough to say yes or no,” he said.
When it comes to cheaper prices and constant quality—whether it’s better—grocery stores provide it. That is why he offered generous samples to show people how good the fresher stuff is, Ankeney explained.
While foot traffic at produce booths is down from the start of summer in the usual yearly trend, the food vendors are still busy. The food stands are there only for a few summer months “and you can’t get that in a grocery store,” Jackson said.
“I think it’s a different demographic that shops for the food,” she said. “It’s an inexpensive outing. You take the whole family out as opposed to a restaurant.”
