HomeMy Public PortalAboutLTC 055-2023 -The Market at Bal HarbourBAL HARBOUR
- V I L L A G E -
OFFICE OF THE VILLAGE MANAGER LETTER TO COUNCIL
NO. 055-2023
To: Mayor Jeffrey P. Freimark and Members of the Village Council
From: Jorge M. Gonzalez, Village Manager W "
Date: April 7, 2023
Subject: The Market at Bal Harbour
The purpose of this Letter to Council (LTC) is to inform you of feedback collected from residents and
guests about the farmers' market that was launched in February.
As you may know, the Village launched a weekly produce and artisan market, branded The Market, on
Sunday, February 19 at the 96 Street beach access. The Market takes place weekly, on Sundays, from
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., and hosts 10 local vendors, providing a variety of fresh items, including
produce, juices, empanadas, sauces, and more. The quantity and quality of vendors has been carefully
crafted to ensure a small but curated selection of options for the local community, both residents and
visitors, as they travel throughout the area.
We initiated the market as a trial for a one -month period to ensure that the event could be sustainable,
while not creating a burden on traffic, either vehicular or pedestrian, in the area. During that one -month
trial, we received positive feedback from both the vendors and attendees and decided to continue The
Market through May 14, for the height of the season. The contractor we are working with to coordinate
the market, Fresh Florida Markets, has various locations throughout South Florida, including Miami
Beach, Coral Gables, and West Palm Beach. In an effort to stay connected with the community and
collect feedback and suggestions, they have implemented comment boxes in many of their locations,
including the Bal Harbour site. During the first weekend of having these comment boxes in place, we
received several positive comments from the community. These have been captured below for your
reference, as well as in the attached images.
"Great addition to the community, • perfect location; hope it will be here always."- Ignacio
"Really fun - love the bread, jam and fresh fruit!" - Katrina
"Keep continuing this market it's actually cool."- Griffin
"I am very pleased to see that a market is open every Sunday next to us. I love delicious
bread here."- Irina
"Excellent, I'm very satisfied. Good products, foods. Very convenient place for [selling]
food."- Unknown
"Love the market! Would love to see if continue to grow and expand. Love the spreads,
breads, and dried veggies the most."- Kristy
"Love the market!!" -Andy
If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me.
JMG/SF/MH