Bartlett farmers market may relocate

Maybe it's a stretch, but officials are hoping some locally grown produce could attract business to downtown Bartlett.

The village board indicated Tuesday it will move the farmers market to Town Center, which has been struggling for patrons.

"We need to give the area a shot in the arm and this is a way to do it," said Trustee T.L. Arends.

The summertime event, which currently takes place Fridays at the Jensen Pavilion parking lot on Stearns Road, typically draws up to 20 vendors and more than 400 patrons.

The proposed plan would move the market to the landscaped area along Main Street at Railroad Avenue. Officials cite good visibility, ample parking, proximity to the Metra train station, and easy access to electricity and bathrooms.

However, the market would only accommodate 15 vendors. The landscaped area would require consistent maintenance, and officials are concerned about patrons having to park at village hall and cross the street.

Vendors also worry about the traffic, or lack thereof.

Pet Chef Express owners Jeff and Dawn Berggren have already implored the village keep the status quo. To them, the visibility at Jensen Pavilion far outweighs any other locations. Moving the market downtown will not only hinder the market's success, but will do little to increase exposure to the downtown area, they said.

Trustee Thomas Floyd and Mayor Catherine Melchert initially said to leave well enough alone. Moving the market may cap its size and turn off some vendors. Floyd also worried about kids having to cross the street.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," he said.

But they relented, agreeing that the prospect of bringing people downtown should outweigh the potential for the market's growth.

Trustee Dennis Nolan asked the board to consider a one-year trial run. He got it.

"If we don't try this now it's never going to come back downtown," Nolan said. "If it fails miserably, we'll rethink it."