You know it’s the only NEWS in town when three people ask before 9:30am, “Have you seen the re-opened Woodstock Farmer’s Market?” As one Woodstock Early Bird said after her visit, “It rocked my world.”
A little background: Back in the day, oh about 19 years ago, when Jack Crowl first opened the market with good coffee, sandwiches and made it a new home to transplants and groove-sters, the fresh produce was kept outside under awnings. At night we – because yes, I did work there – had to bring all the produce in or cover it all up. It was a low-key place where various investors and friends-of-owners used to chat with Amelia in the kitchen as she worked.
Obviously the place has, over the years, become a bit less laid-back albeit popular, but won awards and expanded. However, the last few years it’s been a nightmare to get around in — too little space, too much stuff and no clear traffic pattern. We wandered in circles trying to collect all our goodies. For anyone vaguely claustrophobic it was often a big “forget it.”
Now: The news today is SPACE. Ahhh, you can breathe as you walk into and shop at the Market!
Sensibly, the powers that be, after so many years, have put the cash registers back where they belong — near the door where you enter and exit. Virtually everyone who walked into the space this morning was saying (or thinking) “That’s better” or “Thank you.” Big smiles all around. Good job. I’m told it took a massive employee effort over two days to get everything re-arranged and re-stocked. Get this: Produce in the back in the shade in a new refrigerated unit. Bread out of the windows so it doesn’t develop mold. Etc. Wine along the back wall, displayed in an orderly pattern.
In short, we love it. But, we suspect, in their effort to sell and move more “product” the WFM runs the risk of getting too crowded once again. Say it ‘aint so. Someday, somewhere over the rainbow, the WFM may even get approval for bathrooms and seating. Although, for whatever reasons, I know in the past owners haven’t wanted to go there. Or Woodstock Planning and Zoning didn’t want to go there. Parking Issues. Traffic. You know the deal.
P.S. The most exciting change for me at WFM was something I noticed weeks ago. Finally, finally French-made Roquefort has been returned to the cheese counter. Supposedly in an effort to support local cheese producers and/or because they couldn’t get it, I was told the one-and-only best and supremely stinkiest cheese on the planet (vying for that award with Stilton) was no longer available. In the interim, I easily found Roquefort at Mac’s. Which seemed so wrong. Go figure. Glad to know our local gourmet shop is actually carrying gourmet cheese.
Zuri pays for her coffee at the new check-out register at WFM
Moving along, speaking of changes concerning the Woodstock Farmer’s Market. Patrick Crowl recently sold the Blue Building next to Woodstock Glass to Wayne Olado (Wife Donna is a WFM employee). According to my own hair stylist, Zuri, who is a tenant in that blue-grey building, Olado plans a full scale remodel. As a result, Zuri says she has been told she needs to vacate her self-designed commercial salon space at the beginning of July (right after the 4th). She says she will temporarily re-locate to a small area of the Woodstock Barbershop in the Village. She hopes to be able to return to the well-located building next to WFM in the Fall. Although she looked at other places for a re-locating permanently, she says her clients like being near the WFM and there’s enough parking, too. Zuri’s telephone number for appointments will remain the same. She reports Olado is planning to gut and renovate the building to incorporate two new apartments and two business spaces, one of which will be hers.
Others news today from West Woodstock… Police are investigating various acts of graffiti vandalism all along Route 4 in West Woodstock. A real estate sign was X-d out with paint in front of a home for sale. Further down the well-crafted sign marking the Vermont Standard was also hit. And finally, the parking lot entry into the Woodstock Farmer’s Market was labelled with the spray-painted word “SUCK”. 
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 