Food Scene: River Road farm stand looks to add food court; food-aid stories wanted; more

The Corner Market on River Road is at a crossroads, with its longtime property owner hiking rent. The farm stand is trying to reinvent itself to avoid having to close its doors, and is looking for a developer to help create a new farm-to-table food court.

The Corner Market sources all organic food from within 100 miles. The market previously faced potential closure when its landlord prepared to sell the property to developers for $950,000. Community rallies and fundraising efforts were launched to save the market.

The property owner has decided against selling and is now seeking to raise the rent — potentially from the current $1,200 monthly to somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000. The farm stand operator, Penny Tyrell, is exploring options to make the increased costs viable, including launching a Gateway to the Garden District Market with rotating vendors.

​​”We want it to be something that’s pretty and nice and good for the whole community,” Tyrell said.

A proposed food court, dubbed “The Garden Cart,” would emphasize farm-to-table dining, where vendors source ingredients thoughtfully and can purchase supplies directly from the market. The property features a large covered area that could accommodate multiple food carts with minimal initial investment.

“The whole neighborhood really wants it,” she said.

The Corner Market’s GoFundMe campaign has so far collected close to $16,000.
Tyrell hopes to use GoFundMe proceeds to help cover increased rent during a transition period, while building up food court revenue to sustainable levels. Tyrell asks that anyone interested in developing the food court concept or becoming a vendor to reach out.

The Corner Market
https://www.facebook.com/p/The-OG-Corner-Market-100063473413303
295 River Road
541-607-4762

How food aid helps: looking for stories

September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide movement to raise awareness of hunger and provide a boost in donations to fill food pantries. At Food for Lane County, officials say “every story counts” and are inviting people to share their stories about how SNAP or food assistance has made a difference in their lives as part of the nonprofit’s  “Stories That Feed Us” campaign. 

Participants are asked to write their story on a paper plate at any Food for Lane County program or share stories online.

One recent story shared on Food for Lane County’s Facebook page said SNAP fed a family with two small children when one parent lost a job and the other, a military veteran, was unable to work due to PTSD.

Worst restaurant value? ‘Modern fusion,’ survey finds

BLogic Systems, which provides restaurant point-of-sale systems, announced the results of its survey attempting to answer the question: What’s the worst value restaurant category in America today?

The company developed an Overpricing Penalty Index to measure the restaurant types that offer the least value for the check. It examined the connections between price and satisfaction to find the least successful dining categories.

The No. 1 most overvalued restaurant category was “modern fusion” dining. Second was “trendy vegan” restaurants. No. 3 was “gluten-free specialty” spots.

Modern fusion dining topped the list thanks to its highest average price of $80 per person, with an average 4.07 score on TripAdvisor. Categories like vegan and gluten-free were not the most expensive in the study, yet they rank near the top for overpricing because the dining experience often fails to match the impact on the pocket book.

A spokesperson from BLogic Systems said about the study: “One surprising pattern we saw was that the categories with the biggest value gaps aren’t always the ones with the lowest satisfaction. They’re often the ones in the middle. That means diners aren’t walking away angry. They’re walking away feeling ‘just OK,’ which can be just as damaging for repeat business. In other words, it’s not bad meals that made up these rankings — it’s meals that feel forgettable.”