The farmers and flea market on Longwoods Road in Chatham is getting $700,000 in new additions, including a name change.
The Wednesday Market will operate on Saturdays beginning June 1 and plans to be open every Saturday for the next four weeks after. Between July and August, the market will operate from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. six days a week, not including Sunday. Major changes are to come which include establishing independent lumber vendors in the east-wing, and opening a market-run grocery vendor in the west-wing, adjacent to the current lunch counter.
"This end of town has been completely underserviced for a long time," said Bill Myre, the market's general manager. "If we can save somebody 20 minutes and match the prices they would get [at a retailer] ... we think we've done a service to the community."
The store's current owner, Nova Scotia-based cooperative NewCapeland Properties is footing the bill for the new plans.
The cooperative purchased the market from the previous owner Herb Kikkert in March.
A sign on Longwoods Road in Chatham states the market is calling for applicants to work in the store's future grocery department. (Photo by Michael Hugall)
The inside of the market is due for a complete overhaul, added Myre, which starts with converting the vacant front area of the store to a market-run lumber and farming retailer, and bringing in more vendors who will open shop in the middle section of the building on a one-day basis. One vendor on a Tuesday will be different from another vendor who will occupy the same spot on Wednesday, he said.
"It's a two-year program, however, we've already embarked on the first part of the project which is reorganizing the tenant occupancies," said Myre. "We've got about 90 per cent of that done and now we're going to start working on the building in order to give the customers when they come in ... an experience that they don't have wipe their feet when they leave."
He added there are tenants who are interested in taking up any additional space.
A slew of renovations will take place around the new building. They consist of new flooring, eliminating the plastic windows on the front of the market and replacing them with a solid wall, as well as putting down a new parking lot and putting in more lights for the winter.
"We're going to try and drive home the sense of community here," said Myre, who referenced 1980s sitcom Cheers when describing how it will feel. "Everybody is going to know your name."
Between 30 to 40 jobs – people who will be employed by the market – will be created once the renovations are complete.