photo credit: Noah Abrams/KRCB News
Sandwich board sign for the Santa Rosa Community Farmers Market 
at Farmer's Lane Plaza in Santa Rosa.

One of Santa Rosa's weekly farmers markets is looking for a new home.

For the past six years, the Santa Rosa Community Farmers Market has set up on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Farmer's Lane Plaza in southeast Santa Rosa.

But, next year, Oliver's Market plans to open a fifth location at the shopping center, taking over a former Rite Aid location.

That means the bi-weekly farmers market is searching for a new, or possibly old home.

The market had been at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building, but moved in the wake of the pandemic, said Kelly Smith, head of the non-profit Agricultural Community Events Farmers' Markets.

"The Wednesday market just really was challenged there," Smith said about the Veterans Memorial Building. "We have considered that Wednesday would not work back at the Veterans. We would just do Saturday there."

Smith handles admin and manages multiple farmers markets with the non-profit Agricultural Community Events. It is a separate organization from the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market at the Luther Burbank Center.

"When we moved from the Veterans, people assumed we just closed like everything else did during COVID," Smith said. "It took us quite a few years for our following to find us even though we advertised. "We have been doing radio commercials over the years, and advertising in papers, and all the publications, all the internet sites and we still, you know, would have people coming like four years later. 'Wow, we had no idea where you landed.'"

Smith said her big concern is more disruptions and a loss of business for the farmers and vendors. She noted the Veterans building gets used by others in the middle of the summer season. And it also carries more costs - $100 dollars an hour for half the lot by one estimate - which would likely raise the $35 booth fee vendors pay now.

Oliver's Market management said they've been clear since they purchased the building, that they'll need the full parking lot for customers once the new location opens in 2027.

Smith said she's hoping to extend the market's stay at Farmers Lane, at least temporarily, to allow more time to sort out permits and spread the word to customers at the farmers market.

"We do have some good irons in the fire for our Wednesday market," Smith said. "Saturday is a large market, so most likely we'll land at the Veterans if we can't continue at Farmers Lane Plaza."

For the moment, she said the best thing for those interested is to visit the market while it's still on Farmer's Lane and stay tuned.

Oliver's Market told KRCB News that they have arranged a meeting with Smith and the Agricultural Community Events Farmers' Markets team to aid the transition while Oliver's prepares to move into Farmer's Lane Plaza.