Anaina Hou adds new fees, layout to offset market costs

KILAUEA — The Anaina Hou Community Park farmers’ market was a bustling scene on Saturday, with full parking lots and lines of people waiting patiently for food from their favorite vendors.

While the popularity of the market isn’t new, this week looked distinctively different from the past.

Local nonprofit Anaina Hou Community Park manages the market, and has had to change in an effort to save the market from shutting down due to a lack of funds.

Booths are now spread out into three market areas, which aids in social distancing and more space for vendors and parking. But the biggest and most-unconventional change is that patrons to the market are asked for a $1 donation at the door.

“We lose a little over $1,600 a Saturday. Multiply that four or five times a month, that’s a lot of money for a three-hour event,” said park Executive Director Jill Lowry.

Lowry attributes the financial loss to a substantial increase in attendance and costs related to enforcing COVID-19 mandates.

Staffing comes at a high cost for the market.

“(The farmers’ market) used to be managed quite comfortably with a market manager. And now it’s a market manager and all four of my facilities staff and three security guards,” Lowry said.

The Saturday market is not the only strain on the nonprofit’s finances. Before March 2020, revenue primarily came from hosting large group activities and operating a mini-golf course.

With large group activities still restricted, the group has pivoted to offering new services for the community, including programming for children. Private donations, in addition to federal and county funding, have helped keep the nonprofit afloat, but it has not been enough to fully recover from pandemic-related losses.

Lowry wants to keep the market affordable for farmers.

Currently, farmers pay $25 per week for a booth. The new booth fee is $30 a week, but that will only apply to new vendors joining the market.

David Whatmore, a farmer at Hula Daze Farm, is not concerned that the extra $5 will be a burden for farmers.

“I think it’s fair, and if they can keep the volume of customers coming, with having enough parking, (farms) will make plenty of money to make up that extra five bucks,” Whatmore said.

Whatmore depends on the Saturday market to get his produce to consumers.

“This is my main outlet,” Whatmore said. “I might even retire if this market were to close.”

Other farmers expressed having a similar reliance on the market.

There were some mixed feelings about the suggested donation for attendees.

Savannah Hensley-Kellow, a farmer at Moloa‘a Organica‘a, was unsure if the suggested donation is the best way to bring the community together.

“I don’t think that it’s reasonable to put that financial responsibility back on the community. I think it should be a space that can be freely entered by everybody,” she said.

The suggested donation is not required, and while donation containers at tables were clearly visible at each of the entrances, it did not appear that any market-goers were being asked to donate unless they walked up to the table.

Despite concerns, Hensley-Kellow and fellow farmer at Moloa‘a Organica‘a Zackery Alan both expressed gratitude for the market. “We really want to keep the market going, so anything we can do we’re willing to try,” said Alan.

In total, $564 was donated by attendees, a little less than a third of what the market needs to offset its operating costs.

Several people including farmers and attendees questioned if three guards were necessary, and if cutting back on security might help cut costs.

According to Lowry, the security guards are essential in de-escalating conflicts over anything from masking to people wanting to bring their dogs into the market. She doesn’t want that job to fall on her facilities personnel or volunteers.

While much has changed about the Anaina Hou market, many things have stayed the same. It is still a place where the community comes together and enjoys local fresh food.

Attendee Justin Williams spent time at Saturday’s market listening to music with a friend and enjoying food at the lower end of the market, where people have space to eat and socially distance themselves between groups. Prior to this week’s changes, all food had to be taken to-go. “It is really nice to have a place to eat and enjoy. Not only food (from the) vendors, but also just to eat a ripe banana that you buy from a farmer,” said Williams.

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Laurel Smith, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0424 or lsmith@thegardenisland.com.