Farmers' Market brings out thousands, will downtown businesses benefit?

Amid the hundreds of tents serving the thousands of customers for the first Downtown Farmers' Market of 2010, will the recent push by some local businesses owners for more customers help their bottom line?

“It's hard to tell,” said Heather Younker of Brewed Awakenings.  “More people say they are aware of it.”

Back in February, Younker was one of the major forces behind the 3/50 Project, aimed to convince local shoppers to spend an extra $50 each month between three different locally-owned businesses.  Younker said, at the time, Brewed Awakenings needed more business from customers to keep the doors open at its location along First Avenue SE, across from Coe College.

For Saturday, June 5, thousands crowded Third and Fourth Avenues SE throughout downtown, picking out jewelry, buying flowers or chomping on cheesesteaks at nine in the morning.  The 2010 Farmers' Market season includes a record eight dates, covering the first and third Saturday through mid-September.

“I think there is more awareness,” said Rebecca Pflughaupt, owner of Garden Gate Flowers.  “The holidays have been great and that's a good thing.  We still want to see more people, everyday.”  Pflughaupt, like Younker, has been very vocal in trying to get the word out about the 3/50 project.  She was not one of the formal vendors at Saturday's event but is hoping the extra foot traffic will pay off.

“We're here all of the time,” said Pflughaupt of her business on Third Avenue and Second Street SE.

Brandon Vogel, of City Meat Market on Second Street SW, said having a spot along the crowded foot traffic of Fourth Avenue is critical.

“It's really important because we can offer gift samples and let them know we are here as a local business,” Vogel said.

The Cedar Rapids Downtown District said more than 200 vendors lined the streets for Saturday's opening event.  These businesses come from all over Linn County and even beyond for the sales as well as the exposure.  Just landing a spot in the Farmers' Market is proving more difficult as organizers say more than 100 vendors are on the waiting list to get in.

“You have access to 10,000 people, it's great advertising,” said Younker.