By any measurement, managing the hustle and bustle of a large, urban farmers market is a herculean task.
Pre-construction, the
Fulton Street Farmers Market served over 200 vendors and an average of 11,000 shoppers every week, resulting in estimated sales in the range of $1.5M during market season. All this was managed by one full-time employee.
Now with the renovation of the market almost complete and the 2012 season ready to kick off, help is on the way.
Anticipating strong growth from the renovation, the post-construction market will feature longer hours, new programs and more staff.
According to Melissa Harrington, marketing manager, a new full-time position, one part-time position and a trio of interns will be on hand this year to help share the workload. "We are adding evening hours on Wednesday to increase the access, and we will also be increasing our programming," says Harrington.
The Fulton Street Farmers Market is funded through revenue from vendor fees. There was also a capacity grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation that served as the catalyst for the recent expansion of the market.
To learn more about the Fulton Street Farmers Market, you can visit their site
here.
Source: Melissa Harrington, Fulton Street Farmers Market
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor
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