Farmers market spreads its wings

D. Tye Walker spent the entire summer selling chicken wings to see if the Yakima Valley was ready for him to open a stand-alone restaurant.

He sold them at the Yakima Folklife Festival, A Case of the Blues and All That Jazz, and other festivals. Each time, he saw a demand for his wings.

But it was the repeat customers at the Yakima Farmers Market that gave him the clear confirmation.

"It was nice to have a regular spot where people can find you," Walker said.

The 10th season of the Yakima Farmers Market saw great success, with an increase in the number of booths and the amount of sales from a year ago.

Sales increased about 15 percent from a year ago, said Don Eastridge, manager of the Yakima Farmers Market, which typically runs from mid-May until the end of October. The number of booths averaged 80 each week, compared to about 60 a year ago. He cites an increase of arts and crafts vendors for the boost.

"I'm very pleased with what went on," he said.

The success trickled down to all the vendors -- whether they had been there for years or were making a debut appearance.

One long-time vendor is Johnson Orchards, which has sold fruit at the market since it started.

Although Johnson Orchards has a retail stand in West Yakima, appearing at the Yakima Farmers Market provides good exposure for the business, owner Eric Johnson said.

"Even though we've been in business for (more than) 100 years and retailed for 50 years, there (are) still a lot of people who don't know we exist," he said.

Johnson credits the success of the market to a variety of factors, including an increase in out-of-town visitors, good weather and a larger number of vendors.

The produce, the main star of the market, was also top-notch.

"The more quality, the more people that will come in and buy," he said

Walker, who recently opened Wingin' It and TyeCafe at 11 W. Yakima Ave., said he enjoyed seeing customers return week after week.

Best of all, those returning customers referred their friends and family, generating even more business. By the end of the summer, he collected more than 400 e-mails. About half of them were from the farmers market.

He also enjoyed the atmosphere and culture that the market provides.

"It has a real casual feel," Walker said. "People are willing to walk up and ask questions."

Eastridge expects the Yakima Farmers Market to only grow bigger. This year, the market was held on South Third Street beginning at Yakima Avenue and ending at Chestnut Street. Eastridge plans to push the boundary by extending the market farther down South Third Street, crossing Chestnut Street. And he's hoping to include other activities, such as cooking classes.

"Each year we've got to add something and get better," he said.

* Mai Hoang can be reached at 577-7685 or mhoang@yakimaherald.com.

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