ROGERS, Ark. — The Rogers Farmers Market had to change locations after the Memorial Day weekend tornadoes, and now they're settling into a new one.
The market was previously located at the Frisco Station Mall just off Walnut Ave. in Rogers, but that area was impacted by the tornadoes that blew through Benton County on May 26. Now, the market is located in Uptown Rogers, next to the Pinnacle Country Club.
Grant Wise is the new manager of the market that's served the area since 1988. He explained that they’ve been open about seven weeks because it took them a while to find a location after the storms.
"We are happy to have a permanent home in a parking structure, which means it's 100% shaded all the time. And everybody that comes to shop seems to love that," Wise said.
The market has fresh look being at the bottom of a parking garage and Wise adds that there's also new faces joining.
"We're up, I think 500%, we've got almost five times the vendors, the traffic just continues to pick up, and it's been great. Every week. It just seems like it's growing a little bit more," Wise said.
Patterson Lee is one of the new vendors. He sells fresh produce and flowers from his family's Malee Sakura Farms. He liked not having to worry about a canopy flying in the wind and being open through all kinds of weather.
"The excitement that I get from people that come in there, they're really joyful that we're closer now, and we're right here around the literally, we're right around the corner from a lot of people," Patterson said.
Brandee Howell is a new vendor from J-H Cattle Co. bringing Akashi beef from south Missouri to Northwest Arkansas.
"We're really close to residential neighborhoods. Customers don't have to go that far, and all of us here are bringing our produce, our products, directly to the customer, so they can enjoy a true farm-to-table experience. And the nice thing about it is we can be here if it rains, if it's cold, we're undercover, and it's a nice location," Howell said.
If you'd like to visit, the market returns Saturday, Aug. 3, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. They'll be hosting a back-to-school themed market with water inflatables, snow cone trucks, treats and stickers. They'll also be taking donations in a backpack drive through a partnership with the Fraternal Order of Police. Their new location is at 5102 W Pauline Whitaker Pkwy Parking Garage, Rogers, AR 72758.
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