JAMESBURG – Fresh produce, good neighbors and hopefully a revitalized business district are just some of the things that a summer Farmer’s Market is hoped to bring.
Elliott Stroul, president of the Jamesburg Revitalization Coalition, said that while having the market is a new idea for the borough, it’s been done in hundreds of other towns. The concept is to offer fresh produce to residents at prices lower than they’d pay at a supermarket.
“Hundreds of communities around the country have been doing this for years,” Stroul said. “It’s about time to get on the bandwagon.”
Themarket, which will run every Saturday from July 12 through mid-October, is aimed at bringingmore people to downtown Jamesburg, specifically the area of West RailroadAvenue fromChurch Street toHarrison Street.
“Our goal is to increase traffic in our retail area,” Stroul said. “With gas prices so high, you do not have to drive far to get fresh produce. It becomes awin-win for everyone.”
Themarketwill also give people a chance to socialize and meet others, as well as purchase some organic foods at a price lower than stores offer.
“There’s no middleman, so you save money,” Stroul said. “And 100 percent, it reunites you with the community.”
Stroul said the idea to hold a farmer’s market came when the Jamesburg Revitalization Coalition surveyed residents a few years back. The idea stayed on the backburner until Diane Lemelman, now chairwoman of the group’s Farmer’sMarketCommittee,
asked the coalition why it wasn’t pursuing the idea.
“She asked why we didn’t do it,” Stroul said. “So we asked her to chair it.”
The market is an “old way of doing business,” he noted, going back to the timewhen people “had to go to themarket every day before refrigeration.”
Of course, coalition members hope that people attending the market will see and visit other businesses in the area.
“Someone will go to the market and see an antique store or stay at one of our restaurants for lunch, or go to one of our banks to open up an account,” Stroul said.
Jamesburg has become “the Zurich of MiddlesexCounty,” he noted, referring to the number of banks in the small borough. He attributed the large volume to an upscale area population and close proximity toMonroe Township.
Jamesburg has effectively become Monroe’s downtown area. Since late 2006, Stroul said, 18 more businesses have opened up in the borough.
“We have a nice, small community, little crime, quality businesses, and a history of friendly service,” he said.
No tax incentives were used to attract the new businesses, he noted, though the town did once try to get the area declared an enterprise zone.
The coalition has already been in contact with local farmers to draw themto themarket events.
“We sent out a number of packets to local farmers and got a couple back,” Stroul said. “We hope to have four to six vendors to begin with.”