New vendors will join the Westwood Village Farmers Market on Broxton Avenue Thursday, after meeting with success during Arts ReSTORE LA: Westwood.
Homeboy Bakery and Fallen Fruit: Fruitique! opened in the Village last month for Arts ReSTORE LA, which launched in November with funding from a $100,000 grant awarded to theHammer Museum. The monthlong program was intended to revitalize the declining market in Westwood Village by inviting local artists and craftsmen to temporarily sell from empty storefronts.
“We invited them to the market and they saw the potential in Westwood Village. They saw how many people live and work and go to school here,” said Stephen Whipple, manager of the farmers’ market.
Gervaise Adams, owner of Homeboy Bakery – which is part of Homeboy Industries – said he and his coworkers have had a positive experience in Westwood and feel their products were well-received.
Homeboy Industries was founded 25 years ago in Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles. The neighborhood was saturated with gangs at the time, and the nonprofit created employment opportunities and provided other services to help improve the community, Adams said.
Homeboy Bakery works to employ people in food and business, Adams said.
Adams said Homeboy Bakery will sell goods like granola and artisan bread at the market.
Also joining the market is Fallen Fruit, a business that was first created in 2004.
David Burns, co-founder and artist at Fallen Fruit said the business began as a project that mapped fruit trees in Los Angeles and has gained national recognition.
Burns said that his employees enjoyed the Arts ReSTORE LA project and transforming a public art project into a retail experience.
Burns added that they are excited about staying in Westwood another month, even though Arts ReSTORE LA is over.
The Fallen Fruit owners plan to be at the market through Dec. 24 and want to provide less expensive items.
“What I am hoping is (the vendors) will keep coming back every Thursday. We are discussing and are optimistic that both organizations will stay for the long run,” Whipple said.
The farmers market will host other new vendors, such as knife sharpener Mark Fleischman, who sharpens knives for homes to restaurants, and will also feature some new farmers.