A tale of two markets: Building community through division

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. In the last few weeks, the community has been up in arms over the delayed return of the Riverdale Y’s Sunday market.

Since 2011, the weekly event hosted a variety of vendors from goods to foods and was slated to begin its 15^th season on March 30, but the grand re-opening was postponed to April 27 due to “unforeseen circumstances,” according to a digital flyer sent out by the Y. Then there was a second postponement with the same message delaying the opening yet again to May 11, at which point, the public and vendors became suspicious and slightly irate, taking to social media to express their concern.

“Does anyone know what’s actually happening with the farmers market? Apparently, the former organizer has started a new market and many vendors are signed up there for the 11^th,” read an anonymous post in the Facebook group, Riverdale (Bronx), NY. “I’m also hearing there’s not a permanent location for it at the temple and also that vendors haven’t signed contracts for 5/11.”

According to both, the Y and its venue, the Riverdale Temple, the postponements were due to delays in necessary repairs. The temple’s parking lot was laden with potholes and uneven pavement, creating a lability issue for the Y. The Y switched venues in 2020 when the pandemic hit and the market’s former space at RKA Academy was no longer an option due to social distancing restrictions.

The temple had plans to repave with funds from an anonymous donor, but by the time the market went into hibernation for the winter -- the first time it has done so in recent years – the mills available to do the job were unavailable, according to Lisa Bruskin, executive director of the Riverdale Temple.

“The people that I met with personally to do the projects couldn’t start in the timeframe that was needed,” she said. “I don’t know if you know anything about asphalt, but you can’t work in the winter.” 

The repairs were completed, and the Y has the entire lot at its disposable with both organizations eager to launch, but for some of the vendors, the damage was already done.

“For a loft of us, this is a primary source of income and that really damaged us financially,” Noah Aris said, also known as the Cardamom Man who makes delicious baked goods infused with his signature spice. “The whole pothole thing really bothered me because it’s definitely a liability, but it’s been like that for the five years I’ve been there at the temple and there was never an issue.”

Still, the Y was informed the infrastructure of the parking lot was a hazard and they felt it was better to be safe than sorry. But this didn’t quell the curiosity of the masses, if anything, it provoked conspiracy theories and hearsay. Especially when the market manager, Shira Silverman, posted on Facebook that she was establishing her own event dubbed, Friendly Neighborhood Farmer’s Market.

However, the page came down almost as quickly as it went up and The Press later learned the Riverdale Y hit Silverman with a cease-and-desist letter.

“Riverdale Y respects and values our workers and we safeguard their privacy. Therefore, we will not comment about the actions of current or former employees of the agency,” Melissa Sigmond, CEO of the Y, told The Press in a written statement.

Silverman began managing the Y’s Sunday market September 2019. Her recent departure left many scratching their heads and pointing fingers, painting the Riverdale Y as the corporate bad guy, but there’s more than meets the eye.

“She was wrong in that she didn’t have good legal counsel,” a member of the board of the Riverdale Y told The Press, who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of backlash. “In her head, she was like, ‘OK, I’m going to do the market and I want to get these vendors working because they’re depending on this and I’m feeling responsible for them.’ But maybe she should have been more responsible to the Y than the vendors.”

The lack of communication and overall confusion taught the vendors that the ones who know what they need best are themselves, and with that attitude, they established their own market -- Cravings and Crafts Farmers Market, co-founded by Aris and Luis Alfredo Garcia, vendor of Orwashers Bakery. They will make their big debut at St. Margaret’s parking lot on Sunday, May 11 – the same day as the Y’s return.

However, through their division, they create unity and expand accessibility.

“I’ve had customers calling me, telling me it would be hard to go to both markets,” Aris told The Press. “And I’m like, ‘yea, that makes sense. Go where you’re going to be happy.”

Jennifer Lenkowsky will be the interim manager of the Y’s market while they find a new one.

“I hope there’s no casualties from this,” she said. Maybe two markets are better than one. It’s just a situation that happened and we wish them the best.”