Some business owners call for more vendor opportunities
By JENNIFER KABBANY - For The Californian | Saturday, March 28, 2009

Menifee residents Cleo Stoffle and Merle Jenkins shop for vegetables at the Murrieta farmers market on Saturday. It was the second week for the event, which featured entertainment, food and produce. (Photo by Don Boomer - staff photographer)

Cathy Ray from Ray's Ranch of Temecula, was selling a variety of honeys at the Murrieta farmers market on Saturday. It was the second week for the event which had entertainment, food and produce. (Photo by Don Boomer - staff photographer)

MURRIETA ---- Two weeks in, and it's so far so good for Murrieta's new farmers market.

While some kinks need to be worked out ---- some business owners are calling for more vendor opportunities at the fair, and next week restrictions on where dogs can roam at the event will be enforced ---- visitors at Saturday's farmers market said it's a great addition to the city.

"We're ecstatic," said Robin Reichard, who, along with her husband, Bob, have attended both weeks. "We normally are at the Temecula one, so we like to have one that's local."

Walking out of the event with bags full of produce and a container of homemade specialty cupcakes, the Murrieta couple said they like that the market runs on Saturdays.

"We can't get to the weekday ones," Robin Reichard said.

She said she also likes how the market offers a platform for nonprofit organizations to tout their efforts.

"We just learned about a local organization," she said, holding up a brochure.

Murrieta resident Melody Pierce, 39, said it's great to have a farmers market in her own back yard ---- literally. She lives across the street.
"I love this market," she said while eating a shrimp burrito at one of the shaded tables clustered at the north end of the market, which runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Saturday in the parking lot of the senior center on Juniper Street. "So far, so good. This is the second week in a row that I've been here. Last week I brought 40 bucks and spent it all."

Pierce said she especially likes that she can bring her dog, a 7-year-old yellow lab named Gracie, to the market, and suggested that it might be nice to see more vendors in the weeks to come.

Pierce just happened to hit on two issues that the market's organizer, Tami Elan, was dealing with Saturday.

For one, Elan said a county ordinance prohibits dogs from being near food vendors, so while these first two weeks leashed dogs have walked the market with their owners, Elan plans to establish dog zones from now on. Nearly one-third of the market's visitors on Saturday had dogs with them.

"I'm bummed about it, but I have to be the person who is fair," she said. "I just want to make it a good experience for everyone."

Another issue Elan fielded Saturday were complaints from some business owners who either want to set up shop at the market, or want to set up their table more often.

Elan hand-picks businesses for the market that offer unique items, such as hand-crafted, homemade, organic, garden-related, or embellished merchandise and similar ware, she said. She allows a few commercial businesses to set up a display each week on a rotating basis, and has established a kiosk where they can advertise, she said.

"I am just very selective," she said. "I want to make sure I get quality products. The city doesn't want to see this is a business expo. I am trying to do what is asked of me, and that is to keep this market a true farmers market. (Business owners) are quite upset that they are being limited."

Elan said she is referring complaints to City Hall.

"We are all going to have to compromise to make it work," she said. "It's a work in progress."

Elan is not a representative of the city. She moved to Murrieta six years ago, and was prompted to establish the farmers market because she was tired of seeing similar events take place in nearby cities, she said.

Temecula currently operates two farmers markets, and Canyon Lake recently began its own.

"I thought, why nothing on a regular basis here?" she said. "Now people can come out, meet their neighbors, listen to music and bring the whole family."

The Murrieta market offers a variety of food and entertainment, including musicians, face painting and a magician.

Elan runs the weekly market as a for-profit business, in addition to her work as an attorney's assistant. Last month, she also opened a gift shop in downtown Murrieta called Valentine Gardens.

"Not-for-profit farmers markets tend to die and go away," she said. "This is my weekend focus. I hope I can keep it going and keep people's interest. This is not my market, it's the community's market."