PUBLIC MARKET FAQS
Curious about the Public Market? We’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions here.
What is the Public Market?
We are a year-round, non-profit consignment farmer’s market and natural foods store in the heart of downtown Wheeling! We are a project of Grow Ohio Valley (GrowOV), a non-profit with a mission to build thriving community through food and a vision for regional food security.
What is sold at the Public Market?
The Public Market features local and natural foods, including:
- Local produce, eggs, meat, and dairy from over 40 consignment vendors
- A kitchen featuring locally sourced and healthy breakfast and lunch options, and grab & go items
- Specialty food items otherwise not available in the area
In addition to consignment vendors, we work with with Frankferd Farms, a distributor based in Pittsburgh specializing in local, organic, bulk, and specialty foods; and KeHE, a natural and organic focused distributor. While we build toward a consistent supply of year-round products in our region, we anticipate working with regional and national produce vendors during the off-season. That said, our goal is to source local produce year-round!
What does the Public Market consider local?
Do we accept SNAP?
We have also partnered with Food & Farm Coalition to provide discounts with SNAP-Stretch. This offers discounts on produce for those using EBT.
What’s on the menu for breakfast & lunch?
We also have a Grab ‘n Go section offering meals and drinks for those on the go! We use as much local product as we can depending on the season and availability.
Is the Public Market a Farmers Market?
The Public Market is classified as a consignment farmer’s market. In a consignment market, vendors set their own prices and curate their own displays like they would at a farmer’s market, then the Public Market provides a platform to sell their products so they can get back to what they do best – growing or making delicious local food!
Unlike traditional farmers markets, the Public Market is a brick and mortar store open year-round, six days per week, and offers additional inventory that provides full-service groceries to our community.
Why a consignment market?
As a non-profit, we have a vision of regional food security. It is part of our core mission to maximize returns to regional farmers and food producers. Consignment markets return 70-80% of the sales price straight to the vendor, compared with 15% in traditional grocery.
Using a consignment model, Local Roots in Wooster, Ohio returned over a half million dollars to producers in 2017 alone. Since their opening in 2014, The Wild Ramp in Huntington, WV has returned over $1.2 million to producers using a consignment model.
What’s the Connection to Grow Ohio Valley?
The Public Market is GrowOV’s most ambitious project to date! This project is the cornerstone of our organization’s next phase in growing a regional food infrastructure. The market enables our organization to bring local and healthy food to more people than ever before with a brick and mortar store in the heart of an expanding and revitalizing downtown that currently lacks a single outlet for local and natural food.
GrowOV has farmed several acres of urban and rural sites. GrowOV’s farms supply the Public Market along with over 40 other local vendors. Our farm’s mission is to fill gaps in local food production – making it a priority not to compete with their farm businesses!
To learn more about Grow Ohio Valley, visit growov.org.
When did the Public Market open?
Where is it located?
parking for the public market?
We have designated parking in the garage located off Nailers Way. Grab a ticket from the attendant and we will validate it inside the market.
There is also free 2 hour street parking on Main Street and metered parking at the front entrance of the market.
Is it year-round & what are the hours?
What is Public Market Membership?
Founding Membership: Founding members who contribute $1,000 or more will be acknowledged with their names on our website, receive all benefits in the tiered membership program, and receive an annual gift and/or dinner.
For more detailed information, please check refer to our membership page here.
What benefits do member receive?
- Patronage Rewards. At the end of the year, 1% of your purchases are credited to your membership account as store credit that can be used toward the purchase of anything in the Public Market.
- Discount Days. 15% off everything in store, last Friday of every month. This also includes ordering from The Kitchen.
- Special Ordering. Order through the store at wholesale prices and quantities, including group and bulk orders.
- Discounts on Merch and The Kitchen. With a Tier 4 membership, you have access to more discounts throughout the store. This includes 10% off on Public Market merch and fresh made food when ordering from The Kitchen.
Questions about membership? Reach out to publicmarket@growov.org or stop in-store to speak with our knowledgable and experienced staff.
Are memberships required to shop at the Public Market?
How can I get involved?
Thanks for asking! Here a few ways:
- Want to participate in a conversation about food needs and preferences? Reach out to Grow Ohio Valley by emailing info@growov.org.
- Have an activity or skill you think would fit in at the Public Market— contact us about scheduling an event or developing programming. Reach out to our Marketing and Sales Manager, Jasmine at jasmine@growov.org.
- Looking to become a vendor at Public Market? We are always happy to have the conversation on what you produce or create. Check out our Become a Producer page here. You can also find our Vendor Application there as well.
We bring local and natural food to downtown Wheeling and rebuild connections between farmers and the communities they nourish.