Edmonds’ Garden Market had barely opened for the season, and already the gruff, scruffy honey man Phillip Lacariere was telling stories.
Almost from the moment he’d unpacked his jars of honey from the back of his car, he was talking and gesturing enthusiastically.
Story telling is part of his business, he said. So, it seems, is hugging, as Lacariere’s arms were as busy as his mouth.
“I like to make a connection with the people,” he explained. “Then the people come back and they come back and they come back.”
Lacariere has been selling honey at Edmonds’ seasonal farmers markets — $0.25 for a plastic stick filled with flavored honey, $12 for a jar — for more than a decade, he said.
The Edmonds Museum Garden Market opened for the season May 3. It runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays, until June 28 at the intersection of Bell and Main Streets downtown. The much larger Summer Market will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays, from July 5 through October 4 at the same place.
The Garden Market has about 45 vendors. The Summer Market will have about 125, said Neil Landaas, the market manager.
New this year is the Essential Baking Company, a Seattle-based certified organic bakery and a host of lesser known vendors, Landaas said.
For Lacariere, his customers are his friends and his friends are his customers. He’s made money in Edmonds, but he and the other vendors have made the city into a sort of farmer’s market hotbed.
Edmonds’ market is one of the region’s most popular and well attended farmer’s markets, Landaas said.
Even in the smaller Garden Market, shoppers can find fresh fish, fruits, vegetables, breads, cheeses and the rest of the standard farmer’s market fare — flowers, crafts, arts.
It’s the food that pulls Edmonds’ Ron Smithers, a regular customer in summer past, Smithers said.
“We try to come down here every week,” he said. “Things are at their peak of their freshness, and it’s supporting local farmers when you shop.
“That’s what makes it fun,” Smithers said.
The market has never taken customer counts, but anecdotally at least, foot traffic is growing, Landaas said.
“Farmer’s markets are touching a nerve right now. Everybody is going,” he said. “The farmer’s market is a popular place to get your food.”
Market officials are aware that PCC Natural Markets, the Seattle-based natural foods co-op is coming to town this summer, but they aren’t worried, Landaas said.
If anything PCC will continue to sell the importance of buying local, quality foods, he said.
“Edmonds is a natural foods city,” he said.
Some of the city’s newest residents were at the Garden Market on May 3.
Turnout was impressive despite the rain, said Rich Dethlefs, who moved from West Seattle recently.
“It’s kind of a bad day,” he said, the hood on his rain jacket pulled up. “That’s too bad, but otherwise this place would probably be swamped.”
Reporter Chris Fyall: 425-673-6525 or cfyall@heraldnet.com
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