Farmers' Market draws in customers

Every Sunday, the small space in the Sunset District between 8th and 9th avenues that is ordinarily filled with motionless cars in tight parking stalls becomes alive with bustling vendors in covered booths and packs of anxious customers who long to get bargain deals on fresh food.

The Farmers’ Market opened in the Inner Sunset district on June 9. Nearly three months after its opening, the area is still buzzing with activity, as if it were the opening week, since more than a dozen tent-like stands are flooded with customers who are buying food that ranges from organic fruits and vegetables to fish and cheese.

Merchant Joey Hisatake works at shoe store On the Run, one of the businesses that is adjacent to the Farmers’ Market. Histake believes the market has been consistently packed since its opening because local customers are excited to have these sales at such convenience.

“We’ve never had anything like that in the neighborhood,” said Hisatake, who mentioned that his favorite part about the market is its bargain on nuts and almonds. “It’s something new.”

On the other hand, Hisatake explained that the location of the market may cause problems for those who are looking to find parking spaces on the weekend. “It’s good for the vendors in the market, but it’s bad for [others because] there’s hardly any parking [in the area] on Sundays,” said Hisatake.

Resident Pacita Castillo, who has lived in the Sunset District since 1966, visits various Farmers’ Markets within San Francisco almost every week during the summer and visited the Inner Sunset Farmers’ Market one time so far. Castillo said that while she loves the freshness of food that the new market brings, she is not especially fond of its size.

“It’s very small [and] is in a parking lot,” said Castillo, who explained that she went to the market to buy grapes and plums. “I like to go to big Farmers’ Markets because I buy a lot.”

Regardless of its size and location, the local response to the market is evident in the large crowds of people that continue to shop at the Farmers’ Market every week.

The Inner Sunset Farmers’ Market is located in the parking space between businesses On the Run and Milano Pizza. The market’s hours are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.pcfma.com/markethome.php?market_id=67.