Crowds of Carlo's Bakery Customers Don't Aid Farmers' Market

At this point, most Hobokenites are used to the long lines in front of Carlo's Bakery. From Florida to Alabama, people come from all over the country—and the world—to feed their Cake Boss cupcake needs.

Businesses on the same block as the bakery have complained about the large groups of people. But now, a new group has been affected by the long lines: the farmers of the downtown farmers' market on Washington between Observer Highway and Newark Street. 

"It creates congestion," said John Kruger, a farmer from Hanover. He said people are not stepping out of the line to buy vegetables. "It's not good for business," Kruger added.

Recently, the line—which used to wrap around the block and continue on Newark Street—has been relocated to continue on Washington Street. Daily, dozens of people stand under the canopy, alongside CVS and continuing along the former Barnes and Noble location. In the meantime a Carlo's Bakery's employee, clutching a walkie talkie, streamlines the operation of getting people into the store, allowing only small groups of people to cross the street as they await the moment on which they're allowed to enter the bake shop. 

Danny Zaikowski, who sells pickles at the farmers' market, was more hopeful than some of his fellow farmers. He said the large groups of people could mean that more people are tempted to buy things from the stands. But said Zaikowski, 29, who sells pickles and olives on behalf of Teaneck-based store Picklelicious, he had not yet seen anybody step out of the line to purchase some fresh veggies. "I haven't seen anybody come off the line," he said. 

A little after 3 p.m. on Tuesday, city workers placed barricades to free up some of the side walk, to make space for those shoppers who were looking for fresh tomatoes rather than Cake Boss' cannoli. 

John Branciforte, who serves on the Quality of Life Coalition and voluntarily works at the farmers' market between 1 and 3 p.m., said that he did see some people step out of line to buy some produce. 

"If the market ever gets super crowded I guess there'd be some problems," Branciforte said, adding that Tuesday afternoon's line‚ which reached almost until where the entrance of Barnes and Noble used to be, was the longest he had ever seen. 

Kruger, who was organizing boxes of green beens as he spoke, said business at the farmers' market has been slow during the past—and first—few weeks. The downtown market runs through October, and has been in session since June 30. 

"It's very tempting, but I have no way to carry it," said Alabama-native Ron Bruce, as he stood in line, when asked if he would briefly step out of line to buy something at the market. Bruce, moving inch by inch in the direction of the Carlo's Bakery entrance, said he had moved about 30 feet in 15 minutes.

But, for Bruce, the group he was traveling with and dozens of other people in line, the cupcakes at the end of the line are the worth the wait.