SOUTH LYON, Mich. (WXYZ) — The South Lyon Farmers and Artisans Market is navigating a challenging season as ongoing construction on Pontiac Trail has cut vendor numbers by 45% to 50% and reduced the number of patrons visiting the downtown market.
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Market manager Tim Davids said the impact has been clear.
"We've clearly had a reduction in vendors this season compared to last season and some of the previous seasons. I can say without a doubt that the number of patrons visiting our market has also been reduced," Davids said.
Despite the disruption, the market continues to serve as a launching pad for new vendors. Trent Vella, 18, is selling produce from his Lion's Meadow Garden for the first time this season, offering lettuce, tomatoes and peppers. It's a passion he said he learned from his grandparents.
Vella said the market has given him more than just a place to sell vegetables.
"If I didn't have a place where I could start selling stuff, then I wouldn't be able to eventually do like CSA boxes because not only do I get to sell my stuff, but I also get to meet the people in the community and get my name out there," Vella said.
Even with lighter foot traffic, Vella said he has managed to sell out most weeks.
"It's been interesting with the construction. You never really know what's going on," Vella said.
He anticipates having even more produce to sell in the fall when more vegetables are ready for harvest.
While some vendors have chosen to sell elsewhere, longtime beekeeper Micheal Nardelli of Nardelli Apiaries has remained a fixture at the market. Nardelli said his interest in beekeeping was sparked 15 years ago when a beekeeper kept hives on his property. What started as a hobby left him with a surplus of honey and a reason to connect with the community.
"This was a chance for me and my daughters to come here, work the market, meet individuals from South Lyon, talk to individuals and really for me, I enjoy talking to them about beekeeping and they enjoy learning about the bees," Nardelli said.
Nardelli said loyal customers have made a difference and encouraged residents to make the market a weekly habit.
"It would be really beneficial for a lot of the vendors including myself if individuals just make it their weekly thing," Nardelli said.
Davids echoed that call, framing the market as more than a shopping destination.
"Knowing where your food comes from, I think, is very important and supporting your local farms even though there's a reduction in them is also incredibly important and it's definitely a key piece in keeping farmers markets successful," Davids said. "Farmers markets are an essential piece to the localization of food, not only in the state of Michigan, not only in South Lyon, but across the country."
Downtown Development Authority Director Kim Rivera also urged residents to support all downtown merchants during the construction period.
"Just keep on supporting the merchants during this time and it's gonna be beautiful when this whole project is done, so we're really excited about that and the investment in the community. So a few extra minutes, it means the world to every merchant," Rivera said.
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