Salmonberry Goods announced that it is taking an open-ended break from the Ballard Farmers Market, with Sunday, June 14, marking its final market day for the foreseeable future.
In a social media post, co-owners Alex Johnstone and David Rothstein said the decision was “bittersweet” and described the farmers market as “one of Salmonberry’s great loves.”
According to the post, Salmonberry Goods began 12 years ago with Johnstone and Rothstein operating Convoy Coffee bike carts at the corner of Ballard Avenue and Northwest 22nd Street. They said some customers have been with the business since its first day at the market.
The announcement comes as Salmonberry continues to expand other parts of its business. In recent years, the company said it has grown its Salmonberry Farm Box and Essentials home delivery programs and opened Salmonberry Green Grocer at 6405 32nd Ave NW.
While stepping away from the market, Salmonberry said it plans to remain involved as a customer, sourcing produce for its farm box program and ingredients for its bakery offerings.
The company said it also plans to spend more time writing and is working on a newsletter called Almanac.
“The energy we capture from market Sundays has fueled us for so long. Waking up at 2am and watching the light change through the bakery door, baking and bagging hundreds of pastries and loaves, finding inspiration for new recipes, and sharing countless beautiful small moments with so many of you,” Johnstone and Rothstein wrote.
Salmonberry noted that it does not know when it will return to the farmers market, describing the break as open-ended.
“We don’t know when we’ll return to the market, and that’s ok. We’re trusting our hearts and taking a leap,” they wrote.
Photo: Salmonberry Goods