As 2010 turns into 2011, big changes are coming to the Columbia Market House and it is not very good.As of today, three stand holders are leaving, as is Brian Long the acting market manager. To say the market is in a state of flux is a huge understatement.
The three stands who are leaving are Sadie’s Pretzels, M&M Meats and Sunnyside Pastries.
Mahlon and Ruthie Stoltzfus, the owners of M&M Meats and Sunnyside, were thanking their customers today. The pastry stand is expected to reopen in May at the Turkey Hill Experience.
The lunchmeat stand is staying open.
Friday will be Long’s last day as market manager. He is leaving to pursue other ventures.
Depending on what day you go to market, who you talk too, etc., there have been good days and bad days for stand holders at the Columbia Market.
With the recent improvements made by the borough from government grants, the market has gotten a little bit of a new look. One of the big problems, in addition to the lack of people venturing into the market, is the lack of hot water for the stand holders to properly clean their stands. It was suppose to be installed by the borough as part of the grants, but never was.
Can you say code violation, right under the borough’s nose? Yes.
Whether you want to believe it or not, the Columbia Market House is on the decline. For months, there has been talk of a private market trust taking over running the facility from the borough, but nothing has moved forward and the market is floundering.
The stand holders are not making a lot of money is another issue.
I might be in the minority on this one too, but with other markets in the area (Root’s, Green Dragon, Central Market in Lancaster, and close markets in York), our market is not a two-day market.
Brian Long has tried hard to make the market work, but his hands are tied by the politics of our town.
That needs to change.
I am just going to point out some other issues. Since the bucks are tight in our town, what are we losing each week keeping this facility open? Second, perhaps if there were some other events in the facility, it might work. Third, Columbia Borough still hasn’t learned it should not be in the real estate business and fourth, will those who gave our town the grant money look into how the money was used, if the job (no hot water, etc.) was not completed or if the facility were to close?
Plenty of questions, not a lot of answers, but I really think the market could work if it was marketed right and politics were taken out of the equation.
Just right now, things are broken and need fixed.
16 comments:
Barry, some one should make the boro relook at applications that were handed in for the market postion. I know of one who is a realtor and fits the bill. I strongly believe that the market should not be managed by the boro and it should be a one day event with one saturday a month. I wish Brian the best and hope that he doesn't forget he has many friends!
What the hell,sears must have something to say about this or you are a good friend, why do you need to be a realtor, renting spaces is nothing anyone can do it, you rent, you pay, what the hell so hard about that. The problem is and I have said this 100 times, this market house needs to get away from columbia boro. When you have a budget of $ 3000.00 a year for advertising and norm as the boss and a council butting heads with him, what chance do you have to run this. I was there I saw how it was. Face it put the bikes back in, Columbia has a bad rep, I have lived here all my life it doesn't change. People below 5th st came to the market, the other click wasn't good enough. But a few. Close it up as market and find something else, We lost our ass in there, which is a shame because I did really enjoy it. Columbia people don't like columbia. ask anyone, do survey where they go, its not here. Are shops in town really making it, I wander. Brian was good, smart but his hands were cut off before he started, not the good old girl for 5 years and her friends on council, $ 150,000 later for 2 or 3 days of what, bring em in run em out, power hungry women, new it all. And yes she did curse, oh my god did I say that, part of the problem, not the answer.
This is from the Market House's Facebook Page today:
Columbia Market House: New year starts today ... Look for three new Market House Stand Holders at market this week!
just give the building to the School and tell them to use it for some kind of educational purpose - art classes, theator, etc. etc. - no one will mind that and the County will even dump more into it
if market was thursday only,am sure some of the original standholders would come back.question is,do all the higher ups really want this to happen?
I think what is broke and needs fixed is our borough council.
thursday only won't work - but Saturday only might work - especially if TH is drawing tourists - Saturday is the best day for Tourists, possibly Sunday if the Amish leave
they tried saturday,didn't work.thursday nothing else is open,no compitition.and what tourist are you talking about
IF you ever bothered to show up (and most of you have NOT) for a market committee meting, you would know that the borough did NOT lose any money on the market house operations in 2010 - was in the red for operating expenses (that's income from stand rents minus operating expenses like electric, gas, etc. for those of you who need explaining). IF you would really like to know what the REAL problem with the market is my fellow COLUMBIANS, TAKE A GOOD LONG LOOK IN THE MIRROR - it is foot traffic - SHOPPERS! If you live in Columbia and do not regularly shop at the market, you not only are not part of the solution, but YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!!! Do the math - there are about 10,000 residents in Columbia - if 1 out of every 10 persons REGULARLY shopped at the market, there would be 1,000 people per week going through the market. IF that happended, there would be no complaints from the standholders and NO empty stands, since any smart business person would jump at that opportunity! PS - it also doesn't help when a disgruntled council person walks around town regularly badmouthing the market and its operation!
-You Know Who!
So we're supposed to shop at the market for the sole purpose of keeping it open? Not exactly a sustainable business model.
A lot has changed in the past few decades. As I have elaborated before, there are lots of places to buy fresh foods, from many area stands to the local grocery stores. And that is assuming that there are actually stands selling local produce, versus wines, pocketbooks and "gourmet" dog treats.
And don't underestimate the issue of parking. Maybe the new lot will help some, but if that is filled up, you either have to slug the meters (let's raise the price AGAIN, as I'm sure that will help - insert rolling eyes smiley here-), or walk a little bit. But how far are people going to walk to buy goods that they can just as easily buy at lots of other nearby places?
The largest problem with the market was the overabundance of non-food junk. That would be fine if there were plenty of fresh food stands - but that was never the case.
what tourists ?? - isn't the TH Experience going to draw tourists ??? - or are they counting on the ten thousand local shoppers to support the place ????
let's face it, Columbia's only hope is to become a tourist town
otherwise, it's all down hill for years to come
what else is going to possibly turn the down town around, really ??
To attract visitors and residents, Columbia - not only downtown, needs a galvanized, forward-looking citizenry with concerned, progressive governance and an inclusive plan spearheading focused execution.
that sounds like a political statement! - and believe it or not - Columbia already has all of that!, and it ain't workin' -
the bottom line is we need bus loads of tourists - and the best way to get them is to go to the tour bus conventions and shmooze the tour bus operators -
give the operators free diners at Hinkles, Free lodging, Free antiques, etc, etc, etc
that's how they fight over bus traffic on the east side of the county - and it works.
It might be of note that Ms. Sears was a realtor for quite some time. Being a realtor guarantees nothing.
Also, there is an overabundance of things that do not belong in the market, ie. mini-mart type stands and junk stands. It's a farmer's market, not a flea market.
it would make a good bingo hall
We have quite enough bingo here, thank you. It's a historical building, not a fire hall.
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