Sappington Farmers' Market Hopes for Short Goodbye

While managers of the , 8400 Watson Rd., had announced an Aug. 24 closing for the store, longtime customers hoping to scoop up a last grocery cart of goodies have just about cleaned it out.

Management told Patch last week that they would be selling remaining items at increasing discounts until stock was gone. A visit to the store on Aug. 20 revealed mostly empty shelves, and a handful of employees sweeping floors where displays had been moved.

Farmer Fred, the fiberglass statue that greeted visitors with his son, Clyde, has been removed from the property. So has the fiberglass cow formerly located just inside the main entrance.

"Thanks for the memories!" a sign on the entrance door reads.

Owners will decide after Aug. 24 whether they want to donate, sell, or hold on to remaining merchandise until they find a new space, said Paul Zemitzsch, spokesman for the Sappington Farmers' Market.

He said five or six sites are currently being considered. The fiberglass statues are being stored until a new location is announced.

"You will see the farmer once again," Zemitzsch said.

More than 35 customers left goodbye messages on the Sappington Farmers' Market's Facebook Page, and shared their favorite items over the years.

The 22,000 square feet Watson Road space was established in 1994. Farm to Family Naturally, the cooperative that own the Sappington Farmer’s Market, filed for bankruptcy in December 2011.

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