Market Features Fresh And Local Products

Wednesday, November 7th 2007, 10:42 am

By: News On 6

Long before supermarkets, people shopped for groceries from local folks at small neighborhood markets. The News On 6â€™s Rick Wells reports that's the concept at a new market in the Brookside area. Several local vendors gathered under one roof.

Mindy Spanier is shopping for bread for a dinner party.

â€œIt's nice to have fresh bread nearby,â€ said shopper Mindy Spainer.

She lives in the neighborhood and stops in a couple of times a week. Her son, Sam, is gobbling up a sample of some pumpkin bread.

"I love fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and fresh bread," added shopper Mindy Spainer.

Part of the attraction of the neighborhood market is it is convenient and the goods are fresh.

â€œFresh bread every day. Fish is brought in every day. I bring in fresh produce every day. Prepared foods every day. So itâ€™s all fresh," said merchant James Cooper.

James Cooper owns Nuyaka Natural Farm and also manages the market. He says he knows the produce is fresh because he grew most of it.

â€œFood that's raised on the farm: spinach, broccoli, green beans, radishes, sweet potatoes, new potatoes,â€ said James Cooper.

What he doesn't grow, he buys from people he knows, so he can talk about it.

â€œI enjoy raising food producing food, I also enjoy the retail part,â€ said James Cooper.

He says he loves the concept as local and fresh as possible. He calls it food with a story. Patrick Garst butchers his own beef. Bruce Pense from Bodeanâ€™s knows about the fish he's selling. And, he's a chef so he can tell you how to cook it.

If you don't have time to cook, they've added some prepared foods by Lava, the restaurant next door, and In The Raw is rolling sushi most days.

Thursday evening, from 6 oâ€™clock to 9 oâ€™clock, there's an open house at Center One on South Peoria between 34th and 35th Streets.

All the shops including the market will be open late, with live music inside and out.

Watch the video: Market Features Fresh Foods