The first thing you might notice about The Side Door, the new corner store at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, are its namesake doors. More a moveable wall of windows than a traditional door, the towering, black-framed showstoppers fold open to welcome in the farmer’s market community.
“We had never seen anything like them,” says Corrine Olson, market manager for the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market. “I just hope they stay clean.”
The new shop, which officially opened on October 7, is filled with local produce, pantry items, baked goods, meat, dairy and frozen goods, much of which comes from market vendors.
We chatted with Olson about the vision for the store, what it will offer and how it fits into the popular farmers’ market.
Edify: Where did the idea for The Side Door come from?
Corrine Olson: We wanted to have this space operational more than two days a week, but farmers, makers, bakers and growers just can’t sustain being in the market 24/7 because they’re small businesses. We said, “We need to able to provide the consumer another option.” The market has staff that will maintain the product within the store, and we’ll advise the vendors when we require more product. We’re a not-for-profit, but the market store is here to serve the community with the items from the market.
Edify: Did you envision a corner store or a grocery store?
Olson: The shop covers a lot. It’s located within the building — the southeast corner of the market — so it’s literally a corner store. We’re here to provide an option to those customers who may be passing by as they leave the university area. You can stop in here and get farm-fresh, market-fresh items within the store.
Edify: Will the produce be seasonal?
Olson: It’s all local products that you can get during this time of the year. We get lots of carrots, lots of brussels sprouts, lots of turnips, root vegetables, as well as our greenery. We’ve got vertical greens with lettuce, basil, herbs. We’ll have dairy, eggs, proteins, breads. We’ll also have grab-and-go, where our chef will be providing sandwiches. If you’re driving past the market heading downtown to a meeting, you can swing in here and grab a sandwich and a coffee, and you’re good to go before you get downtown.
Edify: It sounds like the goal is twofold: you want to help people shop locally and also help out the vendors.
Olson: The goal is to support local and know where your food is coming from. A lot of these farmers have been in business in Old Strathcona for many, many years. It’s an opportunity for them to share their wares, their products, their growth in the store — and an opportunity for consumers to shop Tuesday to Friday. We’re also open market days on Saturday and Sunday.
Edify: The market has been around more than 40 years. Has an idea like this ever been attempted?
Olson: They discussed it a few years ago, but it never came to fruition. We have vendors that have been here close to 40 years. For some, the thinking has been, ‘If it’s not broken, why fix it?’ But we need to do this to stay viable within this area. We’ve got people that come from all over the world to this market. We need to keep up with what’s going on within the community and keep the community engaged as we grow and change too.
Edify: How important do you think the market is to Edmonton? Has that shifted over the last 43 years?
Olson: It has. They started out with eight vendors and now we’ve grown. Right now, I’ve got 143 vendors in the market — and during this time of year we grow because we have Christmas vendors that come in. Some people call this an incubator where these small businesses start out and then they grow into brick and mortar. I think we’re a strong part of the history within Old Strathcona.
This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.
The Side Door
Strathcona | 10310 83 Ave NW, Edmonton | thesidedoor.ca
