Fort Worth’s Beloved Cowtown Farmers Market Must Move While Magnolia Motor Lounge Brings Its Music and Bar Fun In

Fort Worth locals and supporters of locally grown produce and locally made products ranging from jellies and soaps to baked goods, handmade tamales and pasture-raised meats have been flocking to the slightly wonky pavement of an aging shopping center along Benbrook Traffic Circle for many years. That’s where you can find Cowtown Farmers Market set up on Wednesday and Saturday mornings (from 8 am to noon). Now, Fort Worth’s original, producer-only farmers market needs to look for a new location.

“The property in which our market is located has been sold and the new owners have provided us with a notice to vacate the property within 60 days,” a post on Cowtown Farmers Market Facebook page reads. “So, Cowtown Farmers Market is on the lookout for another location that meets the needs of our vendors, community partners and customers.”

Gibson Duwe is one of the agents with Transwestern working on the sale of the property and he tells PaperCity Fort Worth that there “is a big renovation coming for the shopping center.” The center was recently purchased by a local investment company known as 2SP Partners.

Duwe tells PaperCity Fort Worth exclusively that the first big new tenant will be Magnolia Motor Lounge moving in from its current home in the Crockett Row development. Magnolia Motor Lounge has been a nightlife staple for more than a decade.

But Magnolia’s building at 3005 Morton Street in the West Seventh area was also recently sold and a new lease could not be worked out. So co-owner Grayland Smith was already on the hunt for his next location. Now, Magnolia Motor Lounge will be bringing its quirky bar, full live music lineup and bar food menu (including its burger of the month) to the space which used to be home to BBQ on the Brazos.

Fort Worth’s Westside just keeps getting cooler and cooler.

The Benbrook Traffic Circle shopping center is currently flanked by longtime tenant Edelwiess German Restaurant at one end and Texas Outdoors at the other. You could say it ranges from sauerkraut to camping gear. And the sauerkraut is staying.

Duwe tells PaperCity that Edelwiess is remaining with more new tenants set to be revealed after the most important major repairs take place. Those repairs include resurfacing the parking lot and installing a new roof.

Cowtown Farmers Market’s New Home?

Everything sold at Cowtown Farmers Market is either grown, raised or produced within 150 miles of Fort Worth. It’s your one-stop shop for the best tomatoes, peaches and garden fresh greens. The kind of place where shoppers are on a first-name basis with their favorite farmers and growers. Some of these relationships have developed over decades of loyalty.

If you have questions, a friendly vendor will happily answer it. You might even pick up a quick recipe while you are there. Or run into local chefs on the hunt for the finest and freshest for their kitchens as well.

“While we are sad to leave the location that has been the site of many years of successful and bountiful markets, we are certain that we can find a location that will be the beginning of a new and exciting era for all who participate with our market,” Cowtown Farmers Market’s Facebook post continues. “We have several great leads and the support of our wonderful community as we work through this change.”

The farmers market still has a couple of months left before it must vacate its spot at 3821 Southwest Boulevard on the Southeast side of the circle.  While it dates back to 1986, Cowtown Farmers Market has not always been at this location. It’s made a few moves before — and it’s a safe bet that its loyal devotees will follow the farm fresh produce wherever it lands.

Meanwhile, Magnolia Motor Lounge will bring the music to Benbrook Traffic Circle.