Sunday, August 31, 2008
By LAURA McVICKER, Columbian staff writer

Mike Posey has always been happiest with dirt under his fingernails. But the gardening Vancouver businessman who vends flowers, herbs and plants once had to travel to Portland and Beaverton to sell his product.

So 18 years ago, he started a farmers market. 

He assembled a group of friends, and they met for months to launch their idea. One August day, it took flight.

Today, the 20 farmers, artisans and cooks who first met at the corner of Fifth Street and Broadway, have grown to about 250. The market, once advertised mainly by word-of-mouth, is now a staple of Vancouver’s downtown strip. It calls Esther Street home.

And, Posey said, the market remains one big happy family.

“It’s a community. Every time you got one person, you gained their circle of friends,” he said. “For everyone living in the neighborhood, this is their front yard.”

The market celebrated its 18th birthday Saturday. Business was usual: families invaded the streets with their dogs. Some stood in line for shave ice, some for baklava.

A street guitarist and violinist met visitors at opposite ends of the market. And in the afternoon, visitors brought their pooches to Esther Short Park for a doggie contest.

Vendors had much to celebrate: The market remains one of downtown’s biggest attractions. It has persevered through challenges, including the closure of the indoor portion of the market. Though the indoor market was once envisioned to be a mini-version of Seattle’s Pike Place Market, it never found its niche and closed in September 2007.

Despite these challenges, pioneer vendors are still around and business is booming. On Saturday under the Posey Patch sign, Posey was selling many of his Clark County-grown plants. He greeted other vendors, such as Velma Conte of La Center, with waves or hugs.

Conte and her daughter started Donut Express 13 years ago at the market as novice bakers. They got doughnut mix, read directions and started baking — and even added ingredients. “One thing I do is add apple cider, and they say nothing about apple cider.”

After her daughter left home, Conte continued the business and has been there ever since.

Starting well before Conte was Lynn Nguyen, owner of Oriental Place and one of the first vendors. Nguyen saw the market as a way to expand her business — and give Vancouverites more helpings of her good food. The response was overwhelming.

“I still have customers return from the first day I opened,” she said.

Laura McVicker: 360-735-4516 or laura.mcvicker@columbian.com