DETROIT (WXYZ) — Weekends at Eastern Market time: it's the music, the people, and of course the food that draws people in. And the savings are an added bonus.
Carlson Jackson is one of the people that makes this outdoor market special. A true character, Mr. Jackson calls Eastern Market his second home.
His tip for saving at Farmers Markets? Early bird doesn't always get the worm.
“I kind of like to go towards the end of the day because you get better bargains," Jackson said. “You come around 1:30-2 o’clock and you can leave out of here with a flat of strawberries for like 8 dollars."
Lonni Thomas, the Director of Marketing at Eastern Market, tells me deals come late, because farmers and vendors are trying to get rid of the product.
"Cash rules everything around us, so if you do come with cash they will probably give you a better deal because you avoid the 3% upcharge if you’re paying with a card," Thomas said.
Selling at Eastern Market is a family legacy for D&J Produce, with Doug Beatty's farmer in-laws becoming vendors in the 70s.
His advice for saving money?
"Do your due-diligence and walk around because there are so many vendors here and what I have may be too high priced but somebody may have cheaper and vice versa," Beatty said.
Beatty's produce comes from a Michigan Amish wholesaler. Buying locally avoids tariffs and cuts down on travel costs to save you money.
"We went into Meijer and I showed them on my phone, a picture of the Meijers and they want $2.49 for one pepper," Beatty said. "We sell it for a dollar a piece."
Now this last tip from Carlson Jackson: Take at your own risk.
"Make sure you're very creative with parking, haha," Mr. Jackson said.
We focused on Eastern Market in this story, but all the advice is easily transferrable to any Farmers Market. You can find a Farmers Market near you at this link.
