Mount Pleasant leaders ironing out details for second farmer’s market

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD)- Farmers markets are very popular here in the Lowcountry.

They’re great ways to support the local economy and local vendors.

The Town of Mount Pleasant is looking to expand its farmer’s market experience and make it more accessible, but town council members are still working out just how to do that.

The current location on Coleman Boulevard is starting to become an issue for people who live on the north side of Mount Pleasant.

“If you live on the other side of town, it’s hard to get to Coleman Boulevard on a Tuesday at 5:00. I don’t live too far away from it and a lot of times we don’t go because it’s hard to get there,” Councilmember, Jake Rambo said.

That’s why town council is looking into starting another one on the north end.

“We don’t want them to have to fight traffic going and coming from there. We want them to be able to rid their bike if they want to or walk,” Councilmember, Gary Santos said.

However, council is still working on ironing out the details, like where to put it.

At last week’s recreation meeting, Santos proposed to have it at Boone Hall.

“Because Boone Hall is already set. They’re already growing crops there and have a facility where they could do it,” Santos said.

Councilmember Jake Rambo thinks Boone Hall wouldn’t work well.

“Boone Hall is a tough in and out at traffic, so I think that would be tough. Also Boone Hall, understandably, the crops that they grow, they don’t want any competitors.”

Rambo says nailing down a location isn’t the only issue, “We’ve got to get some commitments from some farmers. There are a lot of vendors that have expressed interest that they want to do it, but they’re not farmers growing crops, they’re secondary vendors at our farmers market. We all love our boiled peanuts and funnel cakes but we got to get some commitments from some farmers.”

Santos says he’s confident council will come together to figure it out.

“We want to make sure we know what the citizens want the most. We’ve had them come to ur council meetings to tell us where they would like to have it. The key is to find out where they want to put it the most and then put it in that place,” Santos said.

Council members say they hope to have the second location up and running by next year.