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City staff recommends pausing Station Square farmers market; relaunch planned spring 2026
Summary
After average weekly attendance fell and vendors reported difficulty staffing booths, staff recommended pausing the Saturday Station Square farmers market this winter and relaunching April 18, 2026; council members discussed timing and monitoring construction and Gold Line effects.
City staff recommended the Monrovia City Council pause the Station Square Saturday morning farmers market and relaunch it in spring 2026 after low attendance and vendor staffing problems.
Tina Cherry, a city staff member, told the council the market launched in June 2024 and began strongly but that average shoppers have fallen to roughly 65 per week with some days as low as three. Staff recommended a final market on Oct. 18 and a relaunch on April 18, 2026, to take advantage of spring produce availability and to allow nearby construction at Station Square to finish.
Why it matters: The market was intended to serve Station Square residents and Old Town shoppers. Staff cited seasonal performance, ongoing construction in the Station Square area, and vendors’ difficulty finding employees (some cited immigration-enforcement concerns) as reasons for the pause.
Council discussion: Councilmembers asked whether a six-month pause would be sufficient and whether waiting a full year would yield better results. Staff and the market operator recommended a spring restart because produce and weather are more favorable then; staff noted the Gold Line extension and upcoming certificates of occupancy for Station Square buildings could bring new residents and increased market traffic.
Next steps: Staff recommended approving a final market on Oct. 18 and a relaunch April 18, 2026, and said they would continue to monitor conditions and report back. No formal binding action was recorded in the meeting minutes beyond the staff recommendation.
Ending: The council signaled support for pausing and relaunching the market while asking staff to continue outreach to ensure a stronger relaunch in spring 2026.
