Farm Fresh Products
Yet Another Reason to Visit Downtown Arlington
Julie Garro arrived at Arlington’s Farmer’s Market one
dreary Friday morning wondering if she’d be the only one. It
was cloudy, drizzly and chilly. By 10 a.m., the sunshine
wasn’t to be found. But people were. They surrounded her
booth of healthy, quickie dinners and desserts.
“To have people come out on a bad day like this shows how
successful this market can be in Arlington,” said Garro.
“This is the start of something really nice.”
Garro is one of a number of vendors who return each Friday
on a closed block of Front Street in downtown Arlington to
sell fresh produce, homemade goods, herbs, cheeses and
organic products.
“I often go to Grand Prairie on Saturdays but this is
perfect. It’s Friday, and it’s close to where I work,” said
Patty MacWorther of east Arlington. “I picked up some
squash, some tomatoes and some homemade banana nut bread.”
Earlene Moore is the banana nut bread baker. She sold out
the week before and was selling out quickly on this day as
well. Moore, who lives in Arlington, started selling baked
goods at a friend’s beauty salon. Now she’s a popular
home-based business and makes her rounds at various markets.
Farmer Tony Vann of Bowie was there with a long table of
tomatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, cucumbers, pinto beans and
green beans. Another vendor sold all-natural chips and corn
tortillas.
“We’re happy about this particular market,” said Vann. “It’s
a great location. We’re right downtown. There’s a nice
traffic flow through here.”
The Farmer’s Market represents a joint effort. The building,
once home to an old radiator shop, was donated by former
Arlington City Council member Joe Bruner. Home Depot and
Innovative Sign Company helped transform the spot. Other
sponsors include the City of Arlington and UT-Arlington
Dining Services.
“What you’ll find here is locally-made produce and items you
just won’t get in regular stores,” said Maggie Campbell,
president and CEO of the Downtown Arlington Management
Corporation, organizers of the market. “It’s a multipurpose
event that will do a lot of things. Promote the environment
and healthy eating and bring more people downtown.”
The Farmers Market is every Friday through Dec. 18, closing
only on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Free parking is
available on the streets surrounding the market location, at
215 E. Front Street, near Front and Center streets. For more
information, visit
www.downtownarlington.org.
