It’s was a little past 4 p.m. on a recent Friday and something unique was happening on West Broadway in North Minneapolis.
On what any other day of the week would be a vacant parking lot, tents are lined, people are milling about and music from KMOJ is playing loudly. The people are varying in age and ethnicity and those under the tents are selling their wares – everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to homemade jams and homemade fruit snacks, thinly spread and vacuum sealed. Anywhere else the scene wouldn’t seem so “strange,” but considering North Minneapolis is embarrassingly void of healthy food options, the West Broadway Farmers Market is a welcome sight.
In its sixth year, this is the market’s first year on the site at the avenues West Broadway and Aldrich. The market is a weekly happening Fridays between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and will be in operation until Oct. 7. While the primary purpose of the market run by the West Broadway Coalition is to provide nutrition to the residents of North Minneapolis, the market is having another unintended positive impact.
“When we got aggregate data (from last year) crime was down 42 percent during the times the market was open,” said DeVon Nolan, community engagement and market manager. “So we know we’re having a positive impact. It’s about providing food, but it’s also about providing a public space.”
Though the statistics from last year were from the market’s previous location in the Heritage neighborhood, she said the market was having a similar effect in its new location, which opened June 17. She attributed the drop in crime to the increased visibility and added foot traffic that the market brings.
“The physical site we’re at now was once a hotbed of unsavory activities, and now it’s a space for something wonderful and positive,” said Nolan, who said the market hopes to draw upwards of 12,000 people this year.
The West Broadway Farmers Market is also an economic resource, providing nontraditional retail space for small, local vendors. Vendors can set up and sell for a $10 weekly fee. According to Nolan, a majority of vendors come from the neighborhood.
“Seventy-one percent of our vendors are Northsiders,” said Nolan.
While the unintended affect is beneficial, the intended purpose is to feed. North Minneapolis doesn’t get the federal designation as a food desert because of the proliferation of fast food options, but Nolan and others call the area a “food swamp,” lacking healthy food options. This makes the placement of the market even more ironic.
The market sits directly across the street from Cub Foods, a part of the area’s largest grocery chain. But Nolan said even Cub doesn’t provide the options it should.
“They don’t even have a salad bar,” said Nolan, who pointed out that most other Cub locations provide that option. “And when you walk in the first thing you’re bombarded with are Hot Cheetos and other non-nutritious snacks. With the West Broadway Farmers Market we’re changing attitudes about food.”
Tiffany McDougal, a food access intern with the market, said people are responding to the market’s message.
“This is a great way and a great space to provide food that’s without pesticides and grown locally to a community,” said McDougal.
