Community Members Debate Future of Farmers Market

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Nearly three weeks after the opening of Palisades Village, community members continue to wait for more information about the future of Pacific Palisades Farmers Market.

The Caruso team shared that while they are currently waiting to hear back from market representatives on their decision of where to operate, they are hopeful for a return to Swarthmore Avenue from Palisades Charter High School.

“Caruso is working with the Farmers Market team and hope to welcome them back to Swarthmore Avenue once Palisades Village is fully operational,” a representative from Caruso told the Palisadian-Post.

In a discussion on social media, community members seem to be split in half on where they would like the farmers market to set up shop in the future.

“Return to Swarthmore as originally intended,” Edward Dreyfus wrote. “Just as before, shoppers could enjoy brunch, lunch at outdoor tables, socialize, etc. A real community experience once again.”

“Pali High is better,” Heather Ather wrote. “Parking is so much easier. I will go more often in its current location.”

Ather also raised an important question: “If it moves back to town, will Caruso let us park for free or will we have to pay?”

One vendor, Joanna Fiore, chimed in, explaining that they have been “patiently waiting two years to move back” to the original famers market location.

“Pali High has been less than stellar for us as vendors, but we have hung in there so that we can return,” Fiore wrote. “From a business standpoint, sales have been less than 50 percent for all of us and that says to me that Palisades residents do in fact want the location back at Swarthmore.”

Representatives of the market could not be reached for comment as the Post went to print, though according to a flyer passed out in March, they planned to return to Swarthmore.

The status of the farmers market is tentatively on the Pacific Palisades Community Council’s agenda for the Oct. 25 meeting, which will take place at 7 p.m. at Palisades Branch Library.