La Mesa Boulevard loses all semblance of a street every Friday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Cars clear the parking spots to make way for the La Mesa Village Farmers’ Market, an event that has been a crucial part of the La Mesa community for 29 years. The street, located between Palm Avenue and 4th Street in the town’s central business district, hosts 62 vendors, each of which sell a variety of produce, clothing, artwork and food.

According to Michelle Huey, the La Mesa Village Association (LMVA) Chair, approximately five markets out of the 30 in San Diego County are located on a city street in the main business district. The La Mesa Village Farmers’ Market is one of them.

“La Mesa is very different in what it has to offer because it’s in the heart of a village. We have businesses, shops, restaurants, bars and services,” said Huey. “You can go every Friday and have a different experience.”

The market adopted a whole new look in July of 2022. Unlike a traditional farmers’ market, the vendors line up in the middle of the street and face outwards. Customers walk along the outside so they can peruse both the vendors and the surrounding businesses.

This inverted market style transformed the atmosphere of La Mesa ever since it was implemented by the new managers, Shane Ray and Robyn Guy, in July.

“One of the harder challenges that we took on was totally flipping this market,” said Ray. “But we liked the idea of putting the vendors closer together, facing the businesses, so that way you get this really unique shopping experience.”

Ray and Guy began managing the La Mesa Village Farmers’ Market 17 weeks ago. Before that, they assisted at the Hillcrest market for three years and Ray was a vendor himself for 10 years prior. When they started at La Mesa, the market had 30 vendors. It is currently maxed out to 62.

Ray said that he would estimate 2,000 to 3,000 people frequent the La Mesa market on a given Friday. The recent success comes from many working parts — the LMVA’s desire to create a cohesive environment for the community, the newly increased presence of social media platforms and the draw for unique vendors.

“I like to get vendors that other markets don’t really have yet,” said Ray. “I like the idea of being the foundation from which a lot of these vendors can grow their business.”

One of these vendors, Earth and Vine, owned by Kathi and Nathan Ponce, engraves artwork and personalized pictures onto wood. Curbside Eatery & Drinkery, located on La Mesa Boulevard, uses personalized coasters from Earth and Vine for their restaurant.

The general manager and owner of Curbside Eatery & Drinkery, Brenda Leek, also requested a wooden plaque from the vendor for their signature cocktail, The Rose — a drink name inspired by her mom.

Leek said she is a huge supporter of all the vendors and local businesses. As an owner of a restaurant located on a street dedicated to a farmers’ market every Friday afternoon, she said that the exposure that the market gives to the village overall, far outweighs the inconvenience of the street getting closed down for a few hours.

“I think that the farmers’ market has done a great job accommodating the merchants. I love the inversion,” said Leek.

Kasandra Marzec, the manager of Sara’s Selections, echoed that response. Kasandra and her mother Sara run their boutique together. She said that business is normally consistent, but the farmers market attracts a whole new vibe.

Karen Kirkpatrick and her daughter Sophia Burroughs started Eureka Bath Works, a vendor that sells homemade soaps, lotions and bath bombs.

“It’s a nice source of some revenue, but the community has been the best part for us,” said Kirkpatrick.

Vendors like Smit Farms, Da Le Ranch, Wise Granola, Vegan Stops, and Haworth Fish Company are just a few of the 62 options that the La Mesa Village Farmers’ Market has to offer.

Lights have already been strung up down La Mesa Boulevard and LMVA will host Holiday in the Village on Dec. 3rd from 12 to 9 p.m. with craft vendors, holiday food and caroling.

For more information on the La Mesa Farmer’s Market, visit: lamesavillageassociation.org/la-mesa-village-farmers-market.

 – Sofie Fransen is opinion editor of the Point Loma Nazarene University school newspaper and a senior English Education major with a minor in journalism. See her work at: lomabeat.com/.