The decision to move ended efforts by Montgomery County officials and community members, who launched petition drives and worked behind the scenes to keep the market in the county.
‘‘It’s the town center that we don’t have,” said Shelley Rochester, a Burtonsville resident who led community efforts through Coalition to Save the Dutch Market, a group she established.
Judy Thatcher, a legislative aide for Prince George’s County Councilman Thomas E. Dernoga, who played a role in aiding the market’s relocation, said Prince George’s County eagerly welcomes the market. ‘‘It’s truly an asset to the county,” she said.
Beiler said the market’s new site, which is being renovated, is twice the size of the Burtonsville store with wider aisles and spacious floor space that will allow the market to offer faster, better service to customers, many of whom regularly travel long distances to visit the shop.
‘‘In the last 20 years, we have met a lot of good people,” Beiler said. ‘‘We hope we have a following.”
The history
The future of the market had been in question for nearly two years since talks of redeveloping the shopping center surfaced. Some community members had called for the new center to include a mainstream grocery anchor, said Christopher Jones, president of BMC Property Group, which owns the shopping center. Concerns over placing competitive venues in the same center raised issues and led to the Dutch market’s move, he said.
‘‘We love the Dutch market,” said Jones, who met frequently with neighborhood groups in the past few months to explain the company’s position.
Officials from two Montgomery County departments, Housing and Community Affairs and Economic Development, made efforts to find a new home for the market within the county, said Roylene Roberts, county chief of neighborhood revitalization. But zoning issues, insufficient parking lot space and the venue size were considerable challenges.
Last year, the late Councilwoman Marilyn J. Praisner (D-Dist. 4) of Calverton had personally tried to help with the search, Roberts added.
In addition to government efforts, the Burtonsville community also rallied to save the market. Rochester, a patron of the market over its 20 years, led petition efforts and aggressive leafleting.
Her group, the Coalition to Save the Dutch Market, received support from the market’s range of patrons: families, senior citizens and high school students who frequent during lunch breaks and after school, she said.
‘‘It’s just the friendliest place and you don’t find that atmosphere in a regular supermarket,” Rochester said.
Quality foodand charming service
A trip to the Dutch County Farmers Market is an experience for customers who are looking for unique products and a taste of Amish and Mennonite culture.
Lines of people swarm the counters. Other patrons file along the walls and wait for workers at the butcher counter to call their number. In the aisles, traffic jams occur periodically as shoppers’ eyes roam the shelves, scanning the fresh cheese and the homemade candies.
The selection of uncommon, fresh foods can be overwhelming, even for frequent customers. On Saturday, Kris Wade of Silver Spring stood over a produce stand and snacked on a fresh-baked pretzel roll. Wade said she brought her friend Mia White, 36, of Temple Hills to ‘‘help keep me sane.”
‘‘Because you can come here and spend all your money,” Wade said.
She also needed White to help her carry her bags filled with collard greens and other produce. Next, Wade planned to pick up fried chicken and fresh donuts, treats that she ritually brings home to her family. The shopping experience and the foods are a tradition that Wade said will not change when the Dutch market moves to Laurel.
‘‘They definitely will have a following,” Wade said.
In the aisle lined with pickled goods – sauerkraut and jalapeno eggs — Joanna Rollins of Columbia scoped out the shelves with her two daughters. Her 4-year-old, KellieAnn, followed close behind, hugging a bag of homemade cheese curls.
The mom-and-pop appeal of the market is a draw for Rollins, who said shopping at the Dutch market provides a family-friendly experience. Upon their first visits, her daughters asked many questions about the workers, who wear traditional garb and travel more than three hours from Amish and Mennonite communities in Lancaster County, Pa. to bring their homemade goods. Exposing her children to a unique culture offered them a new perspective, Rollins said.
‘‘It’s a different kind of lifestyle and it’s nice to see a family working together,” she said.
Workers at the market also have gained a rich experience through their customers, said Dave Fisher, the produce manager. Since the market’s inception, he has watched families grow.
And some things have remained constant. Fisher has clientele that shop on the same days and at the same hours every week. He said he can determine the time of day simply by the person who is standing at his produce stand.
‘‘I’ll likely shed a few tears,” Fisher said. ‘‘This has been a home away from home.”
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