We’re huge in the Steel City:
PIKE PLACE MARKET in Seattle gets all the press and the kudos from out-of-towners for its produce stands and food stores. But the crowds and limited parking options generally keep residents away.
Scott Shapiro and Liz Dunn, two Seattle developers, saw that as a challenge. And so two years ago, they acquired two buildings in Capitol Hill, a neighborhood better known for its bars and nightclubs than its produce. The result, which has opened in stages since December, is Melrose Market (1501-1535 Melrose Avenue; melrosemarketseattle.com), featuring some of the city’s best independent food purveyors, as well as shops and a restaurant and bar from a renowned Seattle chef.
By the way, interesting to see how the NYT reporter handled the Terra Plata situation:
Plans for yet another restaurant at the tip of the triangular space have been in limbo, but the developers aren’t giving up. If one opens up early next year, as they hope it will, it might just be the jewel in the market’s crown.
Actually it is even better – this article was first published in the NYT. http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/08/15/travel/15headsup.html?s
Although this was a reprint of an NYT article, it was a timely one. Pittsburgh has something like Pike Place market already, a neighborhood called the Strip District. For artisinal goods, you had to travel around the city and know where to look. Soon, a smaller, independent market will open there that will offer a wide range of goods in a central location. The Pittsburgh Public Market borrows some ideas from ventures like Melrose Market, including the renovation of a beautiful old building. It’s not a replica, but it touches on a lot of the same concepts. http://pittsburghpublicmarket.org/
I’m proud to live in a neighborhood with so many inspiring features. I’m also proud to come from a city that knows a good idea when it sees one.