Omaha loves its farmers markets, but given the cold, windy weather of the fall and winter months, the farmers markets are very seasonal. Many larger cities with similar outdoor conditions, including Milwaukee, Seattle, and Cleveland, have created enclosed public markets, allowing vendors to interact with their community year-round.
And Omaha may be on the path to joining them.
In collaboration with Project for Public Spaces, a New-York based organization that’s helped cities open public markets all over the globe, Heritage Omaha is exploring the idea of creating an indoor, year-round public market in downtown Omaha. This proposed market would be located near the RiverFront at 8th & Farnam, just south of the skate ribbon.
The proposed market would be an enclosed, nonprofit organization that would provide local businesses and growers a central place to sell a variety of goods. It would also have space to host festivals and events, creating a community gathering area to bring Omaha closer together.
“I think especially the downtown community that has exploded over the course of the last few years,” Tina Cherica, President of Heritage Omaha, said, “and they’re looking a year-round indoor option for them to be able to access not only fresh groceries, but a place that feels like community and has programs and is activated to benefit not only us, but all the visitors that come to the area as well.”
As of now, Heritage Omaha does not believe the public market would have any effect on Omaha’s downtown farmers market, which is unlikely to change locations.
Heritage Omaha held a public forum in June to gauge public opinions on whether Omahans liked the idea of a public market and, if so, what they’d hope to get out of the space. The findings from that meeting have some interesting insights, including:
- The No. 1 offering Omahans desire from a public market is fresh, local food.
- Most Omahans visit a farmers market is to support local vendors and growers.
- Omahans desire a mix of permanent vendors and pop-ups at the proposed public market.
The public market is still early in the exploration phase and there is no timetable yet for a confirmation or completion date. But given the success of Omaha’s farmers markets, the concept of having a year-round option is one that clearly has Omaha excited.
