Farmers’ Market to sprout in new downtown spot

Published 7:23 am Tuesday, March 2, 2010

The Austin Area Farmers’ Market is getting a new downtown locale this year.

With support from city council, the market, which will run May through October, will now be located on First Avenue Northwest near Knauer’s Meats, Hastings Shoes and Flaherty Paints. Previously, the market was held on the Main Street sidewalk near the Hallmark store, in addition to a separate location at Oak Park Mall.

Steve Otto, president of the AAFM, said the Oak Park location will remain, but the new downtown spot will give the burgeoning event more room — with the market at nearly 20 vendors, Otto said the event had simply “outgrown” the old spot.

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City administrator Jim Hurm reported Monday that the nearby businesses are supportive of the new locale. The relocation will also require that portion of First Avenue to be shut down once a week — the market will run Thursdays from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. — which Hurm said has been run by local law enforcement.