The Peoria Farmer’s Market at Park West has remained open during the pandemic, but may have to go dark during the summer months unless organizers can find an indoor space big enough to accommodate for social distancing.
You must be a member to read this story.
Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.
Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here
Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
To Our Valued Readers –
Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.
For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.
Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.
Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.
The Peoria Farmer’s Market at Park West has remained open during the pandemic, but may have to go dark during the summer months unless organizers can find an indoor space big enough to accommodate for social distancing.
The farmer’s market has made its home at Park West, 9744 W. Northern Ave., for the last 12 years, taking to a smaller indoor space on the premises in June, July and August, and then returning to the outside in September.
But with social distancing rules in effect, owner Christa Esquibel said that has become difficult because more space is needed to appropriately organize vendors inside and give customers more room.
“Typically we use a smaller indoor space at Park West but it’s pretty crammed. We would love to fit more vendors but we typically have about 20,” she said. “Park West has graciously allowed us to use empty spaces the last three years over the summer but most of their units are under contract and we don’t have a space that will accommodate us that we can afford. Especially not if we need to space out more and offer more room for customers to shop with social distancing.”
The Peoria Farmer’s Market generally has around 120 vendors every week, but events have lost around 40 vendors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms. Esquibel said events have since focused more on food, eliminating artisans, activities and almost all concessions, while the remaining vendors have spread out to accommodate for social distancing on event days.
“We have probably lost about half of our customers, but are still pushing forward and are excited to see the rest of our customers back soon,” she said. “Everyone has been pretty great about social distancing.”
Philip Haldiman can be reached at 623-876-3697, phaldiman@newszap.com, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.
Philip Haldiman is a third generation Arizona native with brief residencies on the east and west coasts.
He has bachelor’s degrees in Theater and Journalism at Arizona State University, and is an award winning journalist with more than 15 years worth of experience in reporting and editing.
Most recently, he took first place for investigative reporting and third place for best sustained coverage or series at the 2023 Arizona Newspapers Association awards.
In his free time, he produces an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
By 
