HALIFAX – Another farmers market will soon open in Halifax at the Halifax Forum Complex. With two farmers markets already in downtown Halifax, it’s hoped there will be enough customers for all to thrive.
The new farmers market is scheduled to open on May 2nd, and will be open every Saturday from 8:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M. in the bingo hall. John Sipos sells plants at the Seaport Market, but wanted to expand, so he approached the Forum almost a year ago.
Sipos, who will operate the market, says vendors can’t really make money with just one outlet. With the Forum Farmers Market, “we would have two outlets,” he said. “Also there’s a lot of other farmers that don’t have an opportunity to actually sell their product.”
The General Manager at the Halifax Forum, Al Driscoll, said, “it’s nice to have a regular tenant come into the complex and make use of a building that’s used seven nights a week, but not very often used during the day times, so we’re looking forward to it.”
With 40 farmers markets at peak season in Nova Scotia, the province has the highest number of farmers markets per capita in the country. So, is there room for a third one on the Halifax peninsula?
“I’ve actually been getting a lot of calls from people outside of the city that haven’t been vending at any of the markets in the city before,” said Sipos, “and some people who used to vend, and some people that want to vend at two different places like myself.”
The Historic Farmers Market in Brewery Square is profitable. They’re taking a wait-and-see attitude on whether or not it will affect their business. Meanwhile, the Seaport Market welcomes the Forum Market.
“This is a great opportunity for expansion in that industry,” said Lane Farguson, the Communications Advisor for the Halifax Port Authority. “This is one more way for those producers to connect to the customers and to grow the industry, so we’re certainly supportive of this.”
Sipos expects the market to start small and use just one side of the bingo hall – a space covering 7-thousand square feet. But there’s room to grow. There’s another 7-thousand square feet in the other bingo room. Space is also available outside the front of the building, and another 5-thousand square feet in Maritime Hall.
“It’s a great location,” notes Sipos. “It’s close to all the bridges and arteries coming into the city and there’s parking.”
“We have 442 parking spots on sight,” said Driscoll, “212 of them are in front of the building.”
There’s more parking on residential side streets where a large portion of the customers are expected to come from. “We expect a lot of walkup traffic,” said Driscoll.
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