Leaders of the Corpus Christi Southside Farmers Market announced that the market was moving to a new location after its lease was unexpectedly terminated. But its former landlord and a vendor previously associated with the market said there was more to the rift.
The farmers market moved to the Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation at 2882 Holly Road, where it plans to be open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon as of Aug. 8.
Robbie McClure, vice president of the Corpus Christi Southside Farmers Market Association, said it came as a surprise when landlord David Loeb, president of Landlord Resources, terminated the lease on July 30. A Facebook video posted the same day in which Kim McClure, marketing manager for the farmers market board and Robbie McClure’s wife, announced the termination garnered more than 34,000 views.
Nearly all vendors with the farmers market left with them, Robbie McClure said.
In a phone call, Loeb said he is glad the vendors are gone because he “doesn’t want that group of people on my property.”
Loeb said the termination came after the farmers market failed to correct a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, an incident that stemmed from a dispute involving a former vendor of the farmers market, No Bullshit Beef, owned by Bryan and Jessica Horadam.
Jessica Horadam said that in fall 2025, she and her husband felt the market was not enforcing certain requirements for all vendors and raised concerns privately with the board. She said she then noticed her family business was omitted from social media coverage and marketing promotions.
Robbie McClure did not address Jessica Horadam’s claims when asked by the Caller-Times to comment.
The Horadams brought their concerns to Loeb and asked if they could lease a portion of the shopping center to ensure their business would remain at the site.
The farmers market board was notified July 9 that the Horadams had leased a space under an awning at the Market on Everhart from Landlord Resources, according to emails shared with the Caller-Times by Robbie McClure. Because No Bullshit Beef was a tenant of Landlord Resources, it was no longer subject to the farmers market’s rules, no other vendors could set up under the awning, and vendors would not be allowed to sell certain types of products sold by No Bullshit Beef.
Robbie McClure and Priscilla Hernandez, vice president of Landlord Resources, exchanged emails to arrange a meeting to discuss the change, but the meeting was delayed because Loeb became sick, according to the emails.
A few days after the board learned about the Horadams leasing a space from Loeb, they sent the couple a letter terminating their association membership.
In a text message, Robbie McClure said the market has no “rift” or issue with anyone, but they were upset Loeb had leased the Horadams a spot without any prior notice.
For the markets of July 11, 18 and 25, Jessica Horadam said vendors placed canvas on the backs of their tents and created a line of chained traffic cones to create a barrier between the main market and her family business’ leased space. In order to purchase from No Bullshit Beef, customers would have to leave the main market area, walk between parked cars, cross a grassy median, avoid curbs and be mindful of passing traffic, she said.
Loeb said that hazard violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, and he instructed the board to remove the barriers as they was not part of the approved layout for the market. He said the board didn’t comply and kept the barriers up.
“I told them, ‘You don’t f— with the disabled,'” Loeb said in a phone call. “I think they were offended about my cussing, but it’s a serious law. I’ve been on the landlord side for 25 years handling various law issues that have come up, so I know what is right and what is wrong.”
Robbie McClure said the rearrangement was due to “displaced vendors” from the newly leased spot.
When the board did not meet Loeb’s demands, he terminated the lease.
Robbie McClure said the board appreciates the time it had with Loeb and is putting its focus on continuing the market elsewhere.
On July 13, Robbie McClure filed to make the Corpus Christi Southside Farmers Market a nonprofit. With the registration, he is taking the name of the market that was founded on Everhart Road in 1993 by Loeb’s family and the JW Chisholm Farm.
Loeb said he now has to revert to its original name, Southside Farmers Market.
Jessica Horadam said customers deserve an honest explanation of what changed, what remained and what is being rebuilt.
“A group of vendors and board members chose to leave Everhart,” Jessica Horadam said. “Describing the situation simply as ‘the market moved’ gives the public a false impression that the entire market, its history and every producer associated with it relocated together.”
Bryan Horadam said his business will continue to serve people at the Everhart location every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
“I’ve been there for at least 10 years and I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” Bryan Horadam said in a phone call. “I’m not out there on the weekends trying to make an extra buck. This is my livelihood; this is how I support my family. They’re old enough to know better and need to stop acting like they are the victims.
“They broke the rules and didn’t want to face their consequences. Instead of taking accountability, they turned it around on everybody else and started a new market. But I will build it back to how it used to be.”
John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Have a story idea? Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: What happened with the Southside Farmers Market? Here’s what we know
Reporting by John Oliva, Corpus Christi Caller Times / Corpus Christi Caller Times
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By John Oliva, Corpus Christi Caller Times | USA TODAY Network
