Palmer Towne Food Court open for business

PALMER— The Palmer Towne Food Court is officially open for business. Several local food vendors participated in the official launch held over the weekend.

"I felt good about it. I was happy that people knew we were there," Palmer Town Food Court owner Lolly Hale said.

Hale established The Palmer Towne Food Court to maintain a steady venue for new and seasoned food truck owners and other food vendors from across the Valley.

Looking forward, Hale aims to hold the market every Friday and Saturday. Her main goals are to build up the market to the point of establishing a year-round venue within the former Genesis Drycleaner facility through her husband Joseph Hale's contracting company H Construction. She said that she's thankful for the opportunity, and she's encouraged by all the positive feedback that she's received from vendors and visitors alike.

"I think being part of the business community at the level I can handle as a wife and mom and still be the person I want to be for my family has been really exciting," Hale said.

Fox Sauce LLC owner Cacey Kruger was one of several participating vendors that ran a booth during the launch. She said that she likes the idea of this new venue and what it has to offer.

"This market has been a great addition to downtown Palmer," Kruger said. "I think it was much needed, a place to gather."

According to Kruger, there are a lot of talented food vendors in the Valley that not only offer high-quality dishes but plenty of support to other vendors along the way.

"Everyone just kinda works together and treats it like one big happy family," Kruger said.

Birdhouse Sandwich Company owner Matt Shaughnessy agreed with Kruger's sentiment about the supportive nature of the local food truck community.

"It is a 'help me help you' kind of environment for the food trucks. We have healthy competition but more often than not, people are friendly," Shaughnessy said.

Shaughnessy started his food truck business in 2019. He said that he appreciates being a part of this new and exciting venue.

"This has been a fantastic spot," Shaughnessy said.

According to Shaughnessy, the local food truck community has grown substantially over the years.

"It's just astronomical how large it's gotten. It was kind of an untapped thing out here in the Valley," Shaughnessy said.

Venues such as Palmer Towne Food Court can help local vendors like Shaughnessy with a reliable place to go each week where people know they can find them. He said that he is fully behind the owners' vision and plans to be a permanent fixture at the market.

"I won't be moving around anymore because I think I found my home here. That's what I've always seen looking for," Shaughnessy said. "They moved mountains to make this thing happen. I feel blessed to be a part of it."

The Palmer Towne Food Court is located at 127 South Alaska Street in downtown Palmer. For more information, call 907-982-2042 or visit the official Facebook page.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com