May 13—Warmer weather is finally starting to settle in across Western New York, which means more people will be heading outside to shop at area food markets.
In the City of Niagara Falls, where the City Market on Pine Avenue has been a staple for decades, new management is hoping to continue the momentum it started last year.
As they prepare for the official June 1 opening this season, City Market organizers are looking to add vendors and, by extension, the variety of items available to shoppers this year.
"We want people to stay a little longer," said Tom Lowe, project director for the Field and Fork Network, the Buffalo-based food and farming organization that started managing the City Market last year. "The longer they stay the more money they are going to spend."
"If someone is looking for a specific jewelry vendor who happens to be there, they see the apples, the peaches and the pears and the produce out there and that helps the farmers," he added.
Led by Lowe, market management recently put out a call for market vendors. Farmers and local growers are always welcome. Lowe and market coordinator Ann-Marie DeRusso said they're also looking to bring in more local artisans, entrepreneurs, food truck operators and small business owners who offer unique items or services.
Vendors have the option to sign up for space year-round, for the season or for a six-month period. Daily rates are also available. The market is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The officials kickoff to the market season is slated for June 1.
"If you are selling something, there's probably a space for you there," DeRusso said.
Special events planned
Improving the market's appeal also involves developing more of a sense of place and a livelier atmosphere.
Part of that effort involves continuing to book local musicians and bands that will play during market hours over the course of the next several months.
In addition to shopping, the Field and Fork Network is developing a season schedule that will include special events at the city market throughout the year, including car shows, Kids Day, live music, cooking demonstrations and other family friendly activities. In addition to vendors, the market's managers are also seeking sponsors for the market and special events.
"We think we have a good stable of produce vendors out there who have been coming to the market for decades in some cases," Lowe said. "We're trying to mix things up a bit."
Another new addition this year will be "Evenings at the Market," which will take place on the last Wednesday of each month from June to October. On those Wednesdays, the market will be open for extended hours, from 3 to 7 p.m. The evening markets will feature live music as well as a variety of food vendors.
Courting more customers
Market managers are hoping to remind people that Niagara Falls still has the City Market and to give them a great experience whether they are returning customers or visiting for the first time.
"The market has enjoyed a good, solid customer base for the last several years," Lowe said. "The challenge is just expanding on that customer base."
The city market was once one of the most active outdoor spaces on Pine Avenue, offering a wide variety of vendors each week. Over the years, interest waned, causing the number of vendors to dwindle.
Last year, at the recommendation of Mayor Robert Restaino's administration, city council members agreed to use $2 million in American Rescue Plan funds to buy out the city's lease with the market's former operator, Muto Development, which had a deal to run the market through July 2032, with an option for an additional 44 years that could have been extended through 2076.
Under the buyout agreement, the city terminated the Muto Development lease and reacquired control of the market and six adjacent properties.
Recent market changes
Last year, city officials agreed to retain the Field and Fork Network to oversee the market's operation, including recruitment of vendors and scheduling of events.
"We are thrilled to bring the Niagara Falls City Market to the community," said Restaino said. "This market will be a wonderful place for local businesses to showcase their products and for visitors to explore the unique flavors, sights, and sounds of Niagara Falls."
Lowe and DeRusso said efforts to strengthen the market's appeal benefited greatly from two programs that offered expanded options for shoppers in 2022.
Last year, the network secured approval to allow market vendors to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, more commonly known as food stamps.
In addition, SNAP benefit users were able to "double up" their food bucks as part of a statewide initiative designed to encourage the purchase of healthier food options like fruits and vegetables and to boost sales at outdoor markets like the one in the Falls.
Both programs represented about $28,000 in sales for the city market last year and Lowe said both the SNAP benefit and "Double Up Food Bucks" programs will return this year.
While he admits there's a lot of competition for market visitors in the area, including a very robust outdoor market in the City of North Tonawanda, Lowe said the markets in all three of Niagara County's cities, including the one in NT, offer different schedules.
Lowe said managers of all three markets are also working together to coordinate events and to create an atmosphere where all three can be prosperous.
"There's definitely a spirit of collaboration among us," he said.
So what can people do to help the Niagara Falls City Market this year?
DeRusso said it's simple: Visit often and bring friends.
"If everyone brings one person, it's going to be s step in the right direction," she said.
