Dec, 1929] 



ROADSIDE MARKETING 



27 



TJp this dirt road and down a lane goes a lot of traffic for no other reason 

 than to buy farm products of one who always has them well-grown and well- 

 graded and packed. 



Location of Stand 



Of the factors underlying the successful development of roadside 

 marketing, one of the first to consider is a location. In many cases 

 the ownership of a farm predetermines this within narrow. limits. The 

 state affords many examples of unfavorable sites as a result: places 

 half-way up a hill, without adequate parking facilities, hard to enter, 

 etc., and often with no opportunity even for improvement. It is ad- 

 visable to consider renting a good location rather than suffer such 

 handicaps. The place should be visible from some distance in both 

 directions. There is no better advertisement of a roadside market than 

 the market itself. On the convex side of a slight curve in a level road 

 is ideal, as the curve slows up the traffic as well as aids visibility of 

 the stand. At the top of a hill is not without merit and is next best. 



The amount of space needed for parking is of course dependent on 

 the volume of business to be done, but often the presence of a few cars 

 is a suggestion that will be heeded by others. Many proprietors in 

 New Hampshire have remarked this phenomenon. The best size of 

 parking space must accommodate the maximum number of cars that 

 is likely to stop at any one time. At the places surveyed in New 

 Hampshire something over one-third had parking space for ten or 

 more automobiles, and 62 per cent had provided less. These figures 

 are show^n in Table XVI. The market in Michigan previously alluded 

 to as a big business, provides parking space for 100 cars. Inadequate 

 parking facilities even for the present small business are often appar- 

 ent at many of the stands in our state both because of inadequate size 

 and of inaccessibility. It is very important that the parking space be 

 easy to enter and leave. Parking on both sides of the road is desira- 



