Christelle Koumoué
Jun 12, 2023
Fox News Interview
SAN DIEGO — There’s no shortage of farmers markets in San Diego, but a brand new one in Point Loma is serving up fresh opportunities for small businesses along with new accommodations for parents.
The new weekly Sunday bazaar started up for the community about two weeks ago. The market, found in the Point Loma High School parking lot, offers everything from fresh fruits and homemade goods to delicious food vendors.
Fatma Abrahim, owner of booth, The Taste of Egypt, serves up a piece of her heritage at the Point Loma Farmer’s Market. Every week, she packs up her homemade Egyptian dishes to sell at her own booth at the Sunday morning market.
“I’m trying to make all the people try what Egyptian flavor, what’s Egyptian food,” Abrahim said of her offerings.
For vendors like Abrahim, farmers markets are a stepping stone to expand their business. With the opportunity the market provides, she said, “My dream is have my own restaurant, (and) I will.
”While the market’s main purpose is to bring food and other goods to the neighborhood, it also serves as a fundraiser for a local non-profit, Devoted to Youth.
Organizers Mariana Panzica and Brady Farmer say the farmers market has quickly become the main philanthropic event for the non-profit, whose mission is to support local families.
With that purpose in mind, the farmers market offers some unique accommodations for parents or other caretakers of a child, including areas designated for nursing and kids enrichment.
“Our mission is to help mothers, fathers — family in general,” said Panzica. “We’re helping small families thrive.”
“We currently have two little babies under two, so we came up with the idea of a nursing mother’s area and a large kids’ educational area,” added Farmer.
The approach is something that parents at the Point Loma Farmers Market really appreciate.
“It’s amazing, I’ve never seen one of these at a farmer’s market before,” said Christina Baumann, a parent at the market on Sunday. “we’re able to stay here for hours now lots of my other mom friends have come today it’s a great location, it’s really convenient and helpful and so considerate.”
The Point Loma Farmer’s Market is open every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Point Loma High School main parking lot. The non-profit plans to open additional farmers market locations in the coming months.
https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/new-farmers-market-opens-in-point-loma/