Brookside Farmers Market

Located in an elementary school parking lot for over twenty years, the Covid pandemic brought the need for the Brookside Farmer’s Market to seek a new location. In partnership with project lead Confluence, Slattery was engaged to lead the Market’s leadership through an in-depth process including community engagement, the vetting of multiple sites, and cost analysis. The outcome of this effort was the thorough evaluation of three sites located around Kansas City.

With this forced change of location came an opportunity for transformation. Over the course of several workshops and informational sessions, the Brookside Farmer’s Market leaders, farmers, and patrons gathered to envision an ideal outdoor market space might look like. Primary must-haves were identified: Fifty permanent market stalls for year-round access, ample parking, and sustainable design. The resulting program also includes a demonstration kitchen, pet accommodations, and a shared green space for all vendors and visitors to utilize.

Through the USDA’s Farmers Market Promotion Program Grant, the study allowed the Confluence + Slattery team were able to guide the Market through an exploration of aspirational sustainability strategies, including native plantings, on-site solar, EV charging, and water reuse.

The result of these efforts is a unified vision Brookside Farmer’s Market and a clear set of next steps for the vision to be realized. Once various funding sources and partnerships have been finalized, a new Market will be implemented to benefit the Brookside community over the next twenty years.

Brookside Farmers Market