New weekly farmers market starting up at Riverside Plaza in Gurnee

It looked as if there would be no farmers market in Gurnee this year until a local businesswoman volunteered earlier this month to lead one.

Now, Gurnee residents will be able to go to a weekly farmers market at the Riverside Plaza strip mall every Sunday from July 11 through Sept. 12.

Paola Smith, who opened Riverside Cafe in September, became the organizer of the new farmers market after a phone call three weeks ago with Ellen Dean, the village's economic development director. Smith was calling to check on the status of the East Grand Farmers and Artisans Market, which didn't run last year because of the pandemic. Dean told Smith there were no plans this year to have the East Grand market, which started in 2018 as a joint effort between the village and east side businesses to attract shoppers to the occasionally overlooked business corridor.

"I didn't want vendors to miss out on another year with how great they had done at the previous market," said Smith, who got her start in business selling coffee and tea at local farmers markets, including East Grand.

Smith asked Dean if she could run a farmers market in the strip mall.

Dean spoke to several east-side business owners and told Smith their feedback was for her to go ahead. Dean - who encouraged Smith years ago to turn her business into a brick-and-mortar cafe - praised Smith's ability to lead the new market.

"Her willingness to invest her energies and expertise - with the support of her landlord - to continue the market is much appreciated by the community," Dean said.

Smith said she hopes the new farmers market drives shoppers to nearby local businesses as the East Grand market did for the east side. Riverside Plaza is at the intersection of Washington Street and Milwaukee Avenue, just southeast of Six Flags Great America.

"There are so many small businesses on this plaza that people aren't aware of," Smith said. "We're separate from the Gurnee Mills area where it's more corporate."

The decision to host the new farmers market every week rather than monthly like the East Grand market was an easy one, Smith said.

"Vendors and customers wished that the East Grand one was weekly," Smith said. "Everyone was craving more."

She said she has already received applications from vendors. Anyone interested in applying should email her at gurneefm@gmail.com.