Farmer's Market Debuts Thursday at Landmark Mall Parking Lot

With several grocery stores on Alexandria's west side closed or preparing to close, a weekly farmer's market debuting at Landmark Mall Thursday will surely be a welcome sight to some.

"This will be our first time there on Thursday, we worked on this permit for quite a while," said Benjamin Bartley, director of Mobile Market from Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture. Arcadia operates an educational farm on the grounds of Woodlawn Plantation in the Mount Vernon area.

Look for the Mobile Market's bright green bus in the parking lot located on the Duke Street side from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday. The farmer's market will be open each Thursday at the same time through October. The market accepts cash and credit.

Mobile Market accepts EBT cards, WIC and Senior FMNP vouchers. Through donations, Arcadia doubles the value of these benefits up to $20 — that means $20 on an EBT card gets their customers $40 worth of fruits, veggies, meats, eggs and milk. 

Food sold by Mobile Market is sourced from farms within a 100-mile radius. Here is a sampling of what Bartley will have on hand Thursday: Blueberries, cherries, peaches, string beans, kale, bread, granola, milk in a bottle (skim, whole and chocolate), brown eggs, frozen meats (pork, goat and beef — antibiotic and hormone free), and Yukon and red potatoes.

How do Mobile Market's prices compare to say, the Harris Teeter down the street on Duke Street? "Some things are comparable, some things might be cheaper, some more expensive; it's a comparison that's always hard to make," Bartley said. Peaches will be $1.75 per pound; cherries $5 per quart. 

Being able to purchase fresh food and other groceries within walking distance will likely be welcomed by Alexandria residents who live near Landmark Mall.

Councilman John Chapman said this spring he was working with city staff to provide markets in the West End as “a stop-gap measure” to fill needs in service related to the January closure of Magruder's off of Van Dorn Street, the June closures of Giant grocery stores on Beauregard Street and at Bradlee Shopping Center and the likely yearlong temporary closure of the King Street Safeway for massive renovations. 

Chapman said he hoped the markets could provide “fresh produce and possibly fresh meats.”

“Particularly in the Beauregard area, we want to see what we can do to provide folks with these necessary services.”

For more on the grocery store situation in West Alexandria read:

• Bradlee Center, Beauregard Giant Stores to Close
• The Fresh Market Coming to Bradlee Shopping Center
• Wine, Meat Shop to Open on Duke Street
• Bradlee Safeway to Close July 13
• Old Magruder's Spot: 'We'll Have a Deal Made' by End of Year