Mother’s Market

Am glad I finally visited Mother’s Market on a recent Sunday afternoon. The space is very open when we walked in and it would have been nice to see it busier but it was nice to not have crowds to maneuver around. We browsed at vendors who were selling sweet treats, teas, meats, frozen seafood, produce, jewelry, and nuts! One of the vendors had cute hair clips for 2/​$ 1. What a great deal and I picked up a few for my little niece.
I also liked the vendor who sold nuts and chocolate covered fruits. There are containers with a hole to shake out a nut or two to sample. Most of the flavours were available to sample, and there are lots of flavours. I bought 3 of the small bags for $ 17 or you they are $ 6 each.
Upstairs, we checked out the outdoor patio which is a big space for a rooftop patio as it’s spacious. There’s a vendor who sells dresses, kids’ cute coats, scarves, and other cute women’s clothing and accessories. The items are made in Ecuador. She has a credit card machine so no worries about having cash on hand. Another vendor had homemade items including jewelry made from zipper pulls and various household items.
Will be back to shop at this market!

Mother’s Market is an eclectic indoor farmer’s market in the center of our city. What differentiates it from other farmer’s markets is the fact that it is open three days a week (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and includes a myriad of different vendors rather than focusing just on food, or homemade goods but also includes art, some home-​based MLM businesses, and more besides. That said, all of the vendors are very cordial, there are good amounts of samples and the quality of the food available is great!
I like the unique mix of vendors though I imagine that this market has a fair way to grow. I’ve been to visit only a couple of times since it opened (I may have been the first non-​vendor customer through the doors the first day it was open to the public), and I like what I’ve seen in general though I haven’t yet partaken in the rooftop patio or many of the other facets of the market. I look forward to see how it will grow and change in the coming months/​years. It is a great addition to the downtown shopping environment and I like the fact that I have another option when shopping for gifts, food and other items.

I made the trip to Mothers Market with my mother (cute) as she had wanted to check it out since it opened and since the outdoor markets were closed it seemed like the perfect time. I was worried about finding parking, however we lucked out with some street parking. Not really sure where there is other parking close by as the stalls behind the building all looked to be reserved.
If you are expecting the scale of the Old Strathcona indoor market then yes, you’ll be disappointed. There are far less vendors, but it is WAY less crowded. I can’t stand the OSFM some weekends because I feel like I can’t breathe or move. There is plenty of space at Mother’s Market, but a very well rounded group of vendors. You can get fresh meat, vegetables, and baked goods in addition to homemade gifts, cleaning products and art. When we were there they had a girl playing live music on a piano and she was awesome. Not sure if this is a regular thing, but it was a great touch. My mom and I especially enjoyed chatting with the guy that has old maps. It was interesting to hear how he acquired them and learn about his passion. We didn’t stay for food, but upstairs there are a few different food vendors to choose from.
I think Mother’s Market is off to a great start and it provides a great alternative for farmers market lovers in the city. I can’t wait to see how it continues to grow over the next year!

I am completely in love with this market. Indoors, all year ’round. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
They have a great selection of local farmers selling their wares. Meats, cheese, eggs and all kinds of preserves!
They have Transcend Coffee on hand to enjoy while you shop.
There are a few concession stalls open upstairs if you get hungry while you are there, and a lovely rooftop patio to enjoy your meal during the summer months.
There are always arts and crafts as well, vendors will rotate with the seasons.
Parking downtown is the issue. There are metered parking spaces available on the street that are free on Sunday. There isn’t a lot for parking around the building so be prepared to go on a hunt during peak hours.

I had my first visit to Mother’s Market on Halloween and even though it has the vibe of not quite being finished yet I really feel like it’s heading in the right direction to be something truly great. There is a decent mix of meat, produce, snack, and craft vendors. All the vendors are really friendly and quick to offer samples and good conversation regardless of whether your making a purchase or not. My favorite’s had to be Molly’s Eats, Green Eggs and Ham, and the cute little booth upstairs that sells tea and tea accessories whose name escapes me at the moment. I think if they can get more produce (specifically organic) and meat vendors as well as fill in the empty space upstairs they will find their building packed with eager customers who usually find themselves out in the cold when the busy outdoor market season ends.

I think Mother’s Market has a lot of potential but isn’t quite there yet. I’m hoping now that the outdoor markets are shutting down for the year, things will pick up here because it could be on par with the Strathcona market. There’s a lot of space and the building is ideal for this type of indoor market. The vendor selection is still a little sparse. There’s not a great selection of produce and the organic selection was pretty limited from what I could find. I am disappointed it looks like Native Delights has moved out, they were on the upper level and had awesome bannock. Not sure if they’ll be returning. I love the market is open all weekend, I just hope that’s not too ambitious of a prospect and won’t attract enough vendors. Parking is also hard to find in the area. I do think Edmonton can use another farmer’s market as they’re always popular throughout the year, so I’m really hoping Mother’s Market will be successful.

I just went to Mother’s for the second time, and I’m still impressed. They’re not even full yet, but there’s already so much awesome product.
Start by going upstairs and having lunch. Try the bannock burgers, FOR SURE. I’m not much of a burger person, but hey… Bannock. And it made all the difference in the world for me, because I’m not into bread either. This monster burger shows up, and I’m not even sure my mouth will fit around it. Not only did it fit, but I wolfed the entire thing down. And I’d do it again! The patty was tasty, but the bannock was just… heaven.
Next time, I’m trying the crepes. My husband is addicted to them now. He’s only been there twice, but they already remember him. He’s especially fond of the ham and cheese crêpe. He tells me it tastes like a Monte Cristo without all the bread.
Take a walk around upstairs after lunch. There’s beautiful jewelry, art, an Arbonne dealer (They’re a vegan, ethical cosmetics company) and a few little odds and ends of food items.
Downstairs is where all the action is so far, and although I haven’t visited every single stall, I have favorites.
Greens eggs & ham sells eggs, yogurt, some veggies, plus frozen duck, goose and goat. Try the duck eggs! Texture wise, they are gorgeous and large. Taste wise, I prefer free run chicken eggs, but that’s just me. I found the yolks to taste very mild in the duck eggs.
Or try Sunworks Farms. They are certified Organic, AND certified Humane. And Free Range, of course. Considering these things, their prices are rather reasonable. I just bought a whole bunch of chicken and lamb ribs from them.
Adele’s cheese is another new favorite. Where do I start? So far we’ve only tried the raw goat’s milk GMO free cheese and the Aprikat cheese. (Yes, it’s made from Aprikat beer.) I can’t wait to try more!
Those of you who went to the recent Unilocal Science event would recognize Oliv. They’ve got a stall too. With aaaalllll kinds of oils and balsamic vinegars. Yoink!
Across from them is Joe Dandy, who sells Dandelion coffee and tea, as well as Rhodiola beverages. He’s got samples. Try them!
We’ve also purchased fruit, plants, hemp seed oil, and nuts. We haven’t made it to the Bison guys or the fish mongers yet, but we will.
I just want to give these people my money. I WANT to support them. I think they all work hard and deserve it. I’m going to shop there often.
The only down side I found was the parking. There isn’t any. The parking lots around Mother’s is all reserved for ‘Authorized Personnel Only.’ You’ll need change for the parking meters.