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Burleson residents will soon be able to purchase farm-fresh produce and hand-made crafts in a familiar place.
The western parking lot of local grocer City Market will be converted into Old Town Farmers’ Market from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday, beginning Aug. 30, said Dan-O Strong, president of the Burleson Area Chamber of Commerce. The market is the product of teamwork by the city, the chamber and City Market.
The market will feature about a dozen stalls under the shade of a red-and-white, candy-striped canopy, Strong said.
“Our goal is to start with 12 and move up to 24 vendors,” he said. “We are looking for people who make things with their hands.”
Organic vegetables, low-fat tamales and homemade soaps are among the items Strong said he expects to be sold in early weeks, but he would like to see more vendors on upcoming Saturdays.
For the first month, vendors won’t pay a vendor’s fee, but after that they will be charged $10, Strong said.
The farmers’ market is intended to do more than provide area residents with fresh food and unique finds, he said. He wants the six-hour weekly event to turn into something special for the community.
“The whole idea is not to lose the Old Town feel we have,” he said. “The idea is to get people to understand what Burleson is all about when they come to shop here.”
Strong said he has heard plenty of positive feedback concerning the future market.
“We expect by 7 a.m. people will be waiting in line,” he said. “We have got a lot of people very excited by this ... We want to create that giant Starbucks atmosphere where people can come together.”
Mayor Ken Shetter, who has worked with City Market, city staff and the chamber to create the market, said he predicts it will be an economic draw.
“It’s also a great piece of the puzzle in terms of the successful revitalization of Old Town,” he said. “It will be a good opportunity to provide fresh and different products to the city, and it will be a great place for citizens to gather.”
Kurt Jaeger, owner of City Market, said he will purchase the farmers’ market items that don’t sell each Saturday, and he plans to sell them in his grocery store the next week.
“This will add flavor and flair to Old Town,” he said. “I just think it’s a neat little concept.”
Weather permitting, officials plan to keep the market open through the fall so people can purchase pumpkins, Strong said. He said the market will probably be closed in January, February and March and reopen in the spring.
The market will be located at 200 E Renfro St. in Burleson.
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