No bigger place to "shop small" this Saturday

- Sean Duade is a vendor at the Sarasota Farmers Market, and also serves on the SFMV Board of Directors. You can reach him at [email protected].This Saturday is Small Business Saturday. It’s a day to celebrate small businesses and all that they do for their communities by “shopping small.” Locally, there’s no “bigger” way to support the “shop small” movement than by visiting the Sarasota Farmers Market this Saturday morning.

The downtown Sarasota Farmers Market is comprised of 80 local small businesses, which sell products ranging from fresh produce to coffee to crafts. Established in 1979, the Farmers Market is a weekly community event that promotes the economic welfare of all of downtown Sarasota.

“Traditionally, the Sarasota Farmers Market has served as an incubator for small businesses in Sarasota,” Market Chairman Brian Glassmoyer said. “The Market offers small business owners the opportunity to have a storefront, without having to deal with much of the overhead associated with a traditional brick-and-mortar.”

The Sarasota Farmers Market is not only an incubator for small business; it’s also a laboratory for them. One business owner who has taken full advantage of the opportunities the market offers is Peter Burkard, who has sold organic produce at the market since its inception.

“The Downtown Sarasota Farmers' Market has meant everything to my business; otherwise I would not have remained for nearly 34 years!” Burkard said. “I have had other opportunities during that time, but none offered the combination of income, freedom, social venue, and feeling that I was providing a positive contribution to the community.” 

Burkard continued, “Prior to the spring 1979 market opening, I was struggling to find enough customers for the organic produce I was growing, as the organic and local movements were in their infancy then. All the eager buyers at the market changed that in a hurry. It should be noted that the market has indirectly done that for many other downtown businesses. In fact, it was started for the express purpose of revitalizing the downtown and was remarkably successful, as this model has been in many towns and cities.”

While it is the produce, plant, artisan, and food and beverage vendors who proudly own and operate the downtown market, the vendors also know that it is the people of Sarasota who breathe life into it. In return, the market engages its patrons with special events (like the annual Shrimp and Lobster Festival), activities (like yoga), and weekly live music acts. This week is no exception, as the Market will welcome a 17-piece jazz ensemble.       

To support small businesses that come together to accomplish something big, there’s no better place to visit than the Sarasota Farmers Market.

-More-

• The Sarasota Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 52 weeks a year
• Market yoga takes place outside the SFMV office on State Street from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• “Jazz by the Fountain” will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The Sarasota Jazz Project (a 17-piece jazz ensemble) will be playing by the fountain on the south end of Lemon Street.