MINNEAPOLIS -- Organizers of the Minneapolis Farmers Market Annex are blaming several factors for a lower that usual attendance this season at its market.
“Well this summer, because of all the construction, our turnout has been less than last year,” says Audrey Lord who is the Chief Financial Officer with the Farmers Market Annex which is separate from the Minneapolis Farmers Market which is also at the same location.
"Even our regular customers we see week after week, they're not coming quite as often just because there is more convenient options," Jenn Unteidt said of Unteidt’s vegetables, which has been a staple at the market for 20 years.
Those “convenient” options -- along with construction in downtown Minneapolis and surrounding areas -- organizers say is part of the issue. With more markets and seller stands popping up around the metro, many are deciding not to make the trek to Minneapolis Lord says.
“So our thought, talking with some of our vendors, is that if all you want are tomatoes people are going to the local church parking lot on a Wednesday or something like that,” Lord says.
Lord didn’t have hard attendance numbers but said weekend day attendance is typically above 11,000 people. Despite that fact, some vendors haven’t noticed the drop.
“Yea I haven’t really seen that at all. This place always seems to be hopping,” Diana Hausken says. She has been at the market for three years with her business Diana’s Handmade Unique Gifts.