This parking lot attached to the Reed School in Westover is one proposed location for a new farmers market in the neighborhood. (Photo: Jay Westcott)

Organizers are still in the early stages of exploring a new farmers market for Westover, but one nearby business has already uttered the dreaded P-word.

Parking for the market, which Westover resident John Reeder is proposing for the plaza or the parking lot of the Reed School and Westover Branch Library off Washington Boulevard, is a concern for businesses in the Westover shopping center, including Ayer's Hardware.

"If this parking lot doesn't turn over every 10 minutes, we don't make money," Ayer's owner Kristy Peterkin says of the spaces in front of the Westover shopping center, which is just around the corner from the proposed market site.

Opposition from nearby businesses scuttled a plan to bring a farmers market to the neighborhood a few years ago, and Reeder said earlier this year he was hoping to reach a compromise in order launch the market next spring.

While Ayer's isn't opposed to the idea of a farmers market, Peterkin says, she has to protect the parking for her customers — for which the store pays about $30,000 per year.

The parking issue led Peterkin to request that the market be held on Sunday as opposed to Saturday. "If they do it Sunday from 8 to 12, they'll get no argument from me," she says. "It's the best compromise I can think of." Business at the hardware store doesn't usually pick up until around noon anyway on Sunday, she adds.

The market supporters seemed inclined to go along with the suggestion at an organizational meeting Dec. 7. And Reeder told Peterkin that the farmers market could post signs encouraging people to park in the school lots or on neighboring streets, rather than in front of the Westover shopping center. (She's pretty skeptical that a sign will make a difference for the parking, though.)

Reeder says he believes the market could bring more business into the hardware store, Westover Market, and surrounding shops. Toby Bantug of Toby's ice cream shop raised the question of how a market could affect those businesses Dec. 7.

"I think it's a great idea," he said of the market. "But I think there's a disconnect between people shopping in the surrounding area and coming into our stores. You can't assume that because your door is open people are going to walk in."

Westover Market owner Devin Hicks says he'll support the market if that's what the community wants. "I don't know if it's going to be advantageous or have a negative effect," he said. "But if it adds vitality to the neighborhood, and people want it, I'm all for it."