East Village Farmers Market Shutting Down

EAST VILLAGE, NY — A long-running farmers market in the East Village won't be returning this summer due to declining business at the location, market organizers said.

Local farmers have sold fresh fruits,vegetables and other goods out of a parking lot in St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery for more than 30 years. Neighborhood blog EV Grieve first reported last week that the market, located at Second Avenue and E. 10th Street, would be closing.

The St. Mark's market was operated by GrowNYC, the nonprofit that runs the dozens of "Greenmarket" farmers market throughout the city.

A spokeswoman for GrowNYC confirmed to Patch that the East Village location was closing.

"Closing markets is always a last resort for us, and we are actively looking for a new location in the near vicinity that will allow for a more thriving marketplace, to make sure that our farmers stay viable and we can continue serving the community," the spokeswoman said in a statement.

The spokeswoman told Patch that all of the farmers working at the St. Mark's Greenmarket had been relocated to other markets throughout the city. She also pointed to nearby locations in Tompkins Square Park and in Union Square while GrowNYC searches for another space in the neighborhood. A new Greenmarket is scheduled to open in Stuy Town later this month.

You can find your closest Greenmarket here. (For more East Village news, subscribe to Patch news alerts here.)

Lead image via Pixababy.