Flint Farmers' Market — Attraction in Flint

On April 1, 2025, a customer visited Steady Eddy’s, paid her $35 bill in full, and chose not to tip because she felt the service wasn’t great. Instead of simply accepting this, the owner followed her outside and told her she was no longer welcome at the restaurant just for not tipping. When asked if there was a policy that required tipping, the owner couldn’t provide one, which makes this even more concerning.

Later, the customer wrote a fair review about her experience. Instead of handling it professionally, the owner posted the review online, insulted the customer, and created a space where others felt comfortable piling on and attacking her. She didn’t just call this person out—she encouraged public harassment, which is completely unacceptable for any business, let alone one operating inside a community-centered space like the Farmers’ Market.

I want to be clear—I love Steady Eddy’s. If defending this behavior made sense, I would. But it doesn’t. This isn’t about one bad experience—it’s about how a business chooses to treat people.

The Flint Farmers’ Market’s vision is about helping rebuild our community and being a hub for fresh food and connection. But how does an experience like this rebuild? It doesn’t—it creates division, fear, and mistrust. The market’s mission is to be welcoming to everyone and to provide dignified access to healthy food for all people, regardless of financial situation. What happened here completely goes against that.

Let’s be real, Flint is a vulnerable community. Some families might just want a good meal in a welcoming place, and all they can afford is to pay their bill. That doesn’t mean they should be chased outside or humiliated for it. Businesses in the market should be leading with kindness and understanding, not policing who is “deserving” of a meal based on their ability to tip.

This situation raises a bigger question: Is the Farmers’ Market truly a space for everyone, or just for those who can afford to go above and beyond? Because if a vendor feels comfortable shaming someone over a tip and then rallying others to tear them down publicly, that’s not a place where all people feel safe and welcome.

I’m bringing this to you because I believe in the Farmers’ Market and what it represents for Flint. I hope this can be addressed in a way that reinforces the values of respect, inclusivity, and professionalism that the market is built on.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on how situations like this can be prevented moving forward. I would appreciate a follow-up from the Flint Farmers’ Market on how you plan to address this issue and ensure that all vendors uphold the market’s values of inclusivity, respect, and professionalism. This situation has raised serious concerns about how customers are treated and how the market responds to vendors who engage in public harassment. To formally address this matter, I have also submitted a complaint about Steady Eddie’s to the Better Business Bureau (BBB). I look forward to hearing what steps will be taken to reconcile this issue and prevent similar incidents...

Stopped by around 11 AM and enjoyed how quiet and relaxed it was before the lunch crowd rolled in. While I didn’t find anything that truly grabbed me for lunch, the Peanut Butter Cup iced drink was a great surprise — sweet and satisfying.

Browsed the gift shops with my mom looking for Petoskey stones (ideally small enough for earrings) and a toy for a 6-month-old at the Flint Children’s Museum store, but didn’t find quite what we were after. Still, it was a pleasant outing overall.

I would have picked up one of the gorgeous candied apples, but I had already treated myself to a dozen and a half donuts from Donna’s Donuts — priorities! 🍩😄

A small note: a more visible or posted menu for Steady Eddie's in the seating area would be super helpful, especially for those who are visually impaired, disabled, or just a little worn out like I was.

Still, I enjoyed the visit — relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff, and solid hometown vibes. Even if it felt like a 4-star experience, this is my hometown, so it gets a 5 from me. Glad to be home for a visit and seeing...

Was looking for a new small adventure to embark on, and this place was amazing! Had such an interesting array of different items, local as well. I do wish the produce selection was more vast. We have yet to visit in the summer. There are many eating choices here with a lot of gluten free and vegan type options. The vendors are all extremely friendly and welcoming and seem more than happy to explain their trade. One of my favorite finds was the cheese shop that had 15year aged cheddar. The lady slicing my cheese was amazing, very efficient and on point with how much I wanted. We had a small lunch at Sweet Peaces. The lentil soup was served cold by accident, but upon bringing it to their attention, nice lady there not only warmed it back up, but refilled it back up for us! (I had eaten some because I didn't want to bring it up to begin with) All in all, give this unique market a go! A very...