Why some oppose location of Grayslake farmers market

Grayslake's weekly summer farmers market along Center Street is supposed to offer tasty foods while boosting foot traffic for downtown businesses.

However, some business owners no longer are keen on market vendors occupying parking spaces on the north side of the street out of concern it's hurting their bottom line.

Both sides expect to voice opinions during an informal public forum today at 6 p.m. at Grayslake village hall, 10 S. Seymour Ave. Village staff members will digest the comments before deciding whether to issue another permit the market needs to operate on Center Street in 2008.

Mary Metscaviz, owner of Awesome Nails, is among those who won't back the permit request.

She said it's not right that vendors who drop into Grayslake every Wednesday from June to October bump her year-round clients out of Center Street parking spots near her business. Metscaviz said while she doesn't want the market out of downtown, it hasn't led to more customers for her nail salon.

"I just don't think it's fair to those businesses who pay taxes and everything," Metscaviz said Wednesday.

But proponents say the summer farmers market brought at least 20,000 visitors to downtown last year. They say all the action offers a ripe marketing opportunity to the downtown businesses.

Wendy Petera, the market's on-site manager and an employee at This Old Book, said the weekly operation has been good for downtown businesses. She said many This Old Book customers found the store because of their farmers market trips.

"We have not ever had a customer complain about parking in the five years we've been open," Petera said.

Susanne Rotman, owner of Sweet Susie's eatery, also said she doesn't want the farmers market to leave downtown.

However, Rotman said, she and others see the market's layout as a problem. She said that wouldn't be the case if the market consistently generated new patrons for the downtown businesses.

"I lost a lot of money in the summertime on those Wednesdays," she said.

It might help businesses if the market shifted to a parking lot at Seymour Avenue and Center, near the Millennium Veterans Memorial, Rotman said.

Metscaviz suggested concentrating the event in Centennial Park, a space tucked between two Center Street buildings and home to the winter farmers market.

Assistant Village Manager Matt Formica said farmers market representatives requested tonight's public forum.