Home » Al Fresco at Brick Farm Market Will Be Twice as Nice

Al Fresco at Brick Farm Market Will Be Twice as Nice

by Mary Galioto

Has this happened to you? You’ve found an amazingly lucky parking lot spot at the Brick Farm Market, loaded up your arms with goodies — your grilled asparagus nicoise salad or your slow roasted brisket sandwich, plus a cup of Rojo’s coffee, plus a little something sweet for later (for now) — you finish paying and there’s nowhere to sit? This story rings true even if you walked there because now you have to figure out whether you want to tote that beautiful salad home.

Section of plans prepared by Wayne Ingram of Engineering & Land Planning Associates, Inc. on behalf of the Brick Farm Market

Section of plan prepared by Wayne Ingram of Engineering & Land Planning Associates, Inc. on behalf of the Brick Farm Market

If you’ve never been to the Brick Farm Market (BFM here for short), it is a farm-to-table market and cafe in a cooly remodeled 1930’s garage building, at 65 East Broad Street in Hopewell Boro, that once housed the town’s Chevrolet dealer. It has a retro, farm, industrial vibe with amazing organic locally sourced meats and cheeses (some are farmed and produced by the owners), baked goods, juice bar, ice cream and coffee from Rojo’s Roastery.

BFM is 2014 winner of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association’s “New Good Neighbor” Award for their sustainable model of “farm-to-market-to-table and back-to-farm in the form of compost and feed. The award was granted for “being a “model of organic and sustainable ingenuity from its solar, geothermal and high efficiency facility components to its locally grown or made-on-the-premises mantra,” states NJBIA, which also noted BFM’s position as a community stakeholder as employer of many local tradesmen and professionals in the building, and now running of the facility.

The owners, Jon and Robin McConaughy, also own and run nearby Double Brook Farm and the upcoming farm-to-table restaurant, “Brick Farm Tavern” which will be located a stone’s (or a brick’s?) throw from the Boro’s border to the east along Route 518.

In beautiful weather, the tables outside (and in) are bustling with Hopewellians and Boro visitors. But now seating will be slightly less of a hassle. Under the original approval when BFM opened, BFM was permitted to have 32 outside seats and 24 inside seats for a total of 56 seats.

Last Wednesday June 4, the Brick Farm Market presented its application for approval by the Hopewell Boro Planning Board for increased seating for their market/restaurant. The Boro Planning Board approved the additional seating which will consist of 56 inside seats and 78 outside seats for a total of 134 seats.

In order to accommodate for the additional outside seating, the BFM will be placing 36 seats on the already constructed rear patio.

“The expanded seating is, for us, a great way to offer our patrons additional seating choices outside. Some of our customers like being seating on the road for the ‘scene’ but just as many find it a bit noisy. The seating in the courtyard will offer a more secluded, quiet option,” shared Brick Farm Market owners Robin and Jon.

At the meeting, some Boro residents shared a concern with increased parking issues that have arisen with the success of BFM and other nearby businesses. MercerMe is keeping close tabs on the parking situation and will  be addressing parking concerns and potential resolutions in a separate post. But, as always, we love reader feedback so comment-away.

 

 

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