Westwood had a big, palpable hole in it on Thursday.
It was the first Thursday in years that the Westwood
Farmers’ Market, which traditionally made its appearance on
Weyburn Avenue, was absent from the Village after the fire
department revoked its street use permit, citing safety dangers
posed by a nearby construction project.
There were no fresh red strawberries or softball-sized
artichokes lining the streets, no jazz band serenading afternoon
produce shoppers. The small handmade jewelry stands were gone,
along with the tamale vendor ““ a favorite of this board. (The
ones with artichoke hearts and cheese were especially
delicious.)
Worst of all, there were no doctors squeezing avocados, students
chatting about Asian pears, or local residents enjoying the
California sunshine.
Westwood lost something that has become rare in our bustling,
non-stop city ““ a sense of community.
But despite the apparent contributions the market brought to
Westwood, not everyone is mourning the loss of the 12-year Westwood
fixture.
Local business owners were not entirely thrilled with the hot
food and crafts vendors at the market because they allegedly stole
business from local, rent-paying establishments. It’s
doubtful that many of these owners are losing sleep over the vacant
pavement on Weyburn Avenue.
Business owners contend that it is unfair that they have to pay
rent, property taxes and other expenses to maintain establishments
in Westwood, while the vendors they compete with can swoop in once
a week and set up shop for free after paying the market a
relatively small percentage of their profits ““ between 7 and
15 percent, depending on the type of vendor.
Moreover, business owners say the hot food and crafts vendors
were never part of the original agreement that allowed for the
farmers’ market, and that they never would have supported it
in Westwood had they known. The bottom line, as one vendor told The
Bruin, is that “the market is taking business away from
businesses.”
The business owners do have some legitimate complaints.
It’s not fair to allow farmers’ market vendors to get
the drop on local businesses that pay rent and struggle to survive
in the entrepreneurial graveyard that is Westwood ““ one where
vacant storefronts seem to open up as frequently as new shops and
restaurants. Businesses also say that people who come only for the
market take parking spaces from other Village customers, and we all
know how bad the parking is around here.
But we also think the market made valuable contributions of its
own to the Village, and losing it would be a shame. Both parties
should be able to agree that the farmers’ market brought
people to Westwood on a weekly basis like no other local event, an
important asset considering how foot traffic in recent years has
been less than desirable.
The exposure the market brings is good for everyone, and the
businesses and market leadership need to stop talking past each
other and find a compromise.
If market organizers can secure a new location, like a proposed
spot on Broxton Avenue, it’s pretty clear bringing the hot
food and crafts back as they existed before won’t fly with
business owners. But those vendors provide much of the
market’s social environment. Perhaps, as a compromise,
prepared food and crafts should be allowed on a more limited basis,
such as once a month.
Regardless, we urge those involved to make sure the efforts to
revitalize an important community event are fruitful.
Because, among other things, we miss those tamales already.