On the local tip, and thanks to The Atwater Village Newbie Blog, I heard word that there’s some danger that Atwater Village’s awesome farmers market might get kicked to the curb by Wells Fargo bank who has, thus far, allowed the market to operate out of its parking lot on Sunday mornings. Now I won’t dredge up the national banking debacle for such selfish reasons as saving my local, super-easy-to-walk-to farmers market, but it does seem like poor timing for “the big bank” to start pushing around “the little farmers market”.

Regardless, desperate times call for desperate measures, which in this case, basically meant writing a strongly worded letter (full disclosure, co-writing actually, with a lovely woman, initials MG). The letter follows, as do the names and addresses of the intended recipients. If you’re a local, please feel free to reuse and send your own letter. Heck, if you’re in New York you can still send it. Free speech man! And reasonably priced veggies too! Reasonably priced!

Dear [PERSON AT LARGE, MEAN OLD BANK],

I’m writing to express my appreciation for the courtesy you have extended to the Atwater Village Farmers market over the past four years by allowing it to operate within your parking lot on Sunday mornings. It is my understanding that there have recently been discussions of terminating this contract, and I cannot tell you what a blow this would be to our community.

Atwater Village has truly blossomed over the past several years. It is one of the only truly walkable neighborhoods in the city of Los Angeles, and as such, has enjoyed an incredible influx of families and local businesses. As Atwater Village has endeavored to reinvent itself, it has created a thriving environment which have made its shops and restaurants a destination not only for the local population, but for people from all over the city. The Atwater Village Farmer’s Market is not only a strong sign of Atwater’s improvement, it is also a cause of continued growth. Knowing that there is a farmer’s market within easy walking distance is a huge incentive for potential home buyers, particularly young families who want to be able to live, shop and eat locally in their neighborhood without driving.

In this difficult economy, many up-and-coming neighborhoods backslide, and when this happens, local businesses often suffer the most. For this reason, it’s more important than ever that Atwater Village retain its residents and continue to attract new families and local businesses. Continuing Atwater’s growth can only be an asset to your bank, particularly when those people moving into the neighborhood demonstrate how much they value putting their money back into their community. This is exactly the type of people who visit farmer’s markets, so their continued support and patronage of ‘the local Wells Fargo’ will benefit your bank more than being open a few hours on Sunday ever will.

The Atwater Farmers Market is a huge asset to Atwater Village, and a much beloved one. It is, by extension, an asset to your bank’s business. The best way to maintain good relations with the Atwater community is to ensure that the Farmer’s Market continues to flourish.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME HERE]

SEND YOUR STRONGLY WORDED LETTER TO THE FOLLOWING FOLKS:

Judy Fishman
Vice President
Wells Fargo Corporate Properties Group
333 South Grand Ave., Ste. 700
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Ricardo Villarreal
MAC E2063-011
3250 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039