Market Scarcity in Columbia City

Tonight was the last farmers market of the season for the Columbia City Farmers Market. Seeing as how it was halloween, there were lots of little princesses and robin hoods and butterflys wandering about, and the market vendors were in good spirits.

I dropped by myself (the admiral does love her Andouille Skagit River Sausage) and managed to catch Karen, the Columbia City Farmers Market coordinator. We talked a little bit about the market and what's happening, and she let me in on the current scoop:

• The market is going to stay where it is for at least the next year, if not the next two. After two years, it's definitely moving.
  
• This past year, they actually switched over to renting their current location. They're renting it from the landlords of the Columbia City Plaza, who in turn have a lease from the old landowners. The market had to pass on this rental cost to the vendors, which were (understandably) not too pleased (traditionally the market has used the parking lot rent free).
  
• Of course, Columbia City Plaza was sold to a development firm on the east coast recently, and so when the Plaza owners lease expires early next year, they'll sign a new one with the new owners. The new owners are planning on putting in a mixed use retail & condo development, but they realize that the planning & permitting process will take years, so they've very kindly offered the current space rent free for the next two years while the permitting process takes place.
  
• The market is already looking for alternate locations though. Their rough boundaries are east to Seward Park, north to the intersection of MLK & Rainier, south to Rainier Beach, and west to the eastern bottom of Beacon Hill. They started out from a list of possible locations that was literally 50+ long, and quickly whittled that down to roughly 5 (they need a big space (current parking lot is 1900+ square feet), power and lighting). The current favorite is in fact the school across the street from the current location - it's undergoing renovations now but hopefully will be ready in two years.
  
• If a new location is found, the market might move in one year rather than two to try and get situated early. But so far, they're still on the search.
  
• They do have a preference to stay in Columbia City. One option was the parking lot of the grocery store at MLK and Rainier, but they're not a big fan of it since at that point it's not really the "Columbia City" Farmers Market anymore.
  

So it's good to know the market is in good hands and actively planning contingencies.

Other than a good chat with Karen, other interesting little tidbits learned include:

• There were a LOT of kids in the commercial district. A LOT. So many that I overheard several say that the candy from the businesses had run out by 6:30. Wow. Gotta get there early I suppose.
  
• I visited Villa Victoria for the first time for a little take out Mexican food (I thought the place was named "Tamales" from the huge sign in their window, but the Admiral corrected me). Villa Victoria is just off the main strip on the first floor of the new mixed use developments across from the Shola Grocery. I picked up a tamale and a little square of what I like to call "Mexican Lasagne" and it was good. Wow. At 6:30 no wonder they were already out of every single kind of burrito they offer except for tofu. If all their food was that good, I'll be a regular. Good stuff.
  

That's all for now. Happy Halloween!