Two stay-at-home moms turned entrepreneurs are responsible for bringing Peoria’s Park West shopping center its first farmers market.
Shoppers’ growing desire for local and organic produce prompted managers of the retail center, near Northern Avenue and the Loop 101, to coordinate a market there in October.
They enlisted Peoria resident Christa Esquibel and her sister-in-law Emy Porter, the founders of Momma’s Organic Market, or M.O.M., to recruit about 30 vendors for a kid-friendly shopping experience.
The market is a regular fixture at Park West on the third Saturday of each month, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vendors include farmers, jewelry designers and face painters.
Photo by NatalieMaynor.