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Pending a few approvals, the space in the rear of 6655 Delmar Boulevard that’s generally known as the U. City Market in the Loop will open March 15 as the Midtown Farmers Market.
As reported on Stltoday.com by Steve Giegerich, major changes are in store this season for the Clayton Farmer's Market, which will move back to its original location on a closed-off segment of Central Avenue and will change from Saturday mornings to Thursday afternoons.
But those changes have apparently aided an exodus of vendors and management who will help reposition the Market in the Loop as a weekly resource for locally grown and produced food.
Giegerich quoted vendors who said they would not return when the Clayton market is held on Saturdays. However, sources tell St. Louis Magazine that at least some of those vendors will move their Saturday stands to the new U. City Market. And, in fact, Clayton market participants Sugar Creek Piedmontese and Grandma’s Nuts have already used the new market’s Facebook page to confirm their participation.
In addition, the market master for the new market is Deb Henderson (left), who had been the market master in Clayton.
The U. City Market in the Loop was an early element in the revitalization of the Delmar Loop, with an interior space consisting of food stands and small retail vendors – including the prior home of Bob’s Seafood – and a series of wooden stalls to the rear that were generally used for produce and food vendors.
The front of the building now houses Market Pub House, a sports bar owned by John Racanelli of Racanelli's fame.
For at least the past several years, the only tenant in the rear has been Long Acres Farm, which sells primarily brokered produce in the style of the majority of the vendors at Soulard Market. Sources say that Long Acres Farm will remain as part of the market after the new set of vendors comes in on Saturdays.
Preliminary plans call for the Midtown Farmers Market (which we feel compelled to note is not in Midtown, a defined neighborhood in the City of St. Louis consisting of Saint Louis University and its surroundings) to be open the first and third Saturday of the month starting March 15, and weekly for the regular growing season beginning May 3.
