The rusty garden decor shop and the second liquor store in town join forces to get rid of the people from outside the gates. Not that they sell anything that is in competition with them….

Now where am I going to get any substainable watermelons?

In the six months since the weekly outdoor market made its debut, the event has attracted a small following of attendees who turn out for organic produce, a chance to see their neighbors and support some local merchants.

Just how local some of those merchants are has been brought into question: Complaints in recent weeks accused some vendors of being from outside Pacific Grove.

“It’s a minor point of contention,” said Bill Valuch, co-owner of Miss Trawick’s Garden Shop and a member of the Business Improvement District advisory board, “but some businesses did not think that was fair.”

As a result, downtown merchants asked the planning commission to establish measurable guidelines to ensure the vendor pool remains local.

Locals Are Running Farmer’s Market Out Of Town