Eastern Market on the Rise

Map It:  Eastern Market 

NEARLY TWO MONTHS AFTER the fire in historic Eastern Market's South Hall, business in the area has begun to pick up.

Balmy weather and word of mouth have helped. "We really see how the layering of vendors, food stalls and retail have been very important to the success of this area," said artist and longtime vendor Michael Berman. "Since the upturn in business over the past couple of weeks, we realize what a critical, fragile time it is and how important it is to maintain this momentum in bringing back locals, visitors from the metro area and tourists."

Outside the crippled building, signs hang from sidewalk awning like flags, marking the locations of the stalls. Though many favorites are there — Market Poultry, at right, Canales Quality Meats, Fine Sweet Shop and Bowers Fancy Dairy Products — others such as Southern Maryland Seafood and Union Meats are conspicuously absent, as are the steaks and filleted fish in display cases and the lines that once snaked out the door for Market Lunch. Still, the recent uptick in business heartens residents such as Angela Blair, who makes the trip to Market Poultry to pick up chicken legs for Sunday dinner. "This is where my mother and I have come our whole lives," she said.

Myra Inman of Market Poultry and Jennifer Glasgow of Fine Sweet Shop are relieved things are looking up, though their sales remain significantly lower than this time last year. While Inman has a refrigerated truck, others aren't so lucky. "I can't sell anything refrigerated — pastries with creams, ice creams, smoothies," said Glasgow. "Now, I'm concentrating on what I can sell and trying to move more of that."

Glasgow's family goes way back with the market. She claims her father-in-law, Bill, saved the building from being torn down by the city in the late '40s. The family stalls (Union Meats, Market Lunch and Southern Maryland Seafood) that aren't customer-ready are supposed to reopen in the "market shed," a temporary structure to be built on 7th Street that will house vendors as the landmark is rebuilt.

In the meantime, the restoration process will evolve throughout the summer and fall.

Photo by Melissa McCart/Express