Indoor Farmers'/Local Purveyor Market in Chicago - When?

I believe that Abby Mandel had been trying to establish a year-round indoor food market. Haven't heard much about this recently. With Mandel's passing, will the driving force also disappear?

Would love to see a permanent home that features local foods and purveyors. A friend and I recently returned from a trip to Cleveland and the West Side Market. We were thrilled by the variety of local food items, smoked meats, freshly made pastas, artisanal breads, cheeses, fresh and organic meats, poultry, and eggs, etc.! Most, if not all, of the products originated from Ohio.

Why can't a city like Chicago establish this type of indoor market? With such a large variety of ethnicities, a market of this type would certainly thrive!

My inquiries at the Green City Market is usually answered with a finger pointed to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, which is just the temporary winter home for the Green City Market.

Anyone know if there is a group working to establish a year-round indoor food market?

This is discussed in two other threads:

chicago farmers markets... why not year 'round...
Milwaukee Public Market-Coming Soon...Why not Chicago?

The Green City Market will be nearly all year now:

The Green City Market wrote:Mark your calendar: Starting November 1, Green City Market moves to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. We'll continue our Wednesday/Saturday schedule for November and December, and the hours will be 8 am- 1 pm. We're also thrilled to announce that from January 3- April 18, Green City Market will take place on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, also at the PNNM. The Museum is located at 2430 Cannon Drive.

I know you are asking about something bigger than this. My concern with a larger, year-round indoor market is that the line between a gourmet store and a farmer's market will be blurred. I wish Chicago had a larger selection of gourmet food stores, incidentally.

Maybe it will be like the Ferry Market in San Francisco?

I agree! If Columbus, OH can sustain a great indoor market, why can't Chicago...

I am good friends with a woman who organizes winter markets in the Chicago area. How many people even know there are winter markets? Well, hopefully, this year, even more people will know. There is a full range of markets forthcoming. The markets operate from late November until March. It is my understanding that there will be a market nearly every Saturday and Sunday. The markets are held at churches around the Chicago area. The market locations will vary, with the idea of having markets around the area over the course of the winter. Because of a couple of factors, several markets will be held in the Oak Park/River Forest area. So, during the market season, there may be one market in Beverly; there will be several around Oak Park. I will post details of the market locations when I have them.

There was a weekly winter market last year in Geneva (11 N. 5th Street).

Of course there's Cassie and her Green Grocer. She'll have a supply of local foods all winter long. She's a great resource!

If you want a year-round market, go to Green City right now and spend money. Or Federal Plaza tomorrow. Or wherever.

That's the best encouragement you can give.

Mike G wrote:Or Federal Plaza tomorrow.
...
That's the best encouragement you can give.

Federal Plaza yesterday. Daley Plaza tomorrow.

Or stop by the new Chicago Farmstand and spend some money

Mike is right. Vote with your dollars and show organizers, vendors, and the city that these markets are successful and important.

It's even more impressive if you spend the money when there isn't even a market there. That's dedication.

Yeah, Daley Plaza, that's what I meant, I was bummed the second week of my jury service when we deliberating by Thursday and they wouldn't let us out...

While I do not disagree that it is important to vote with our dollars, prove demand, the problem is, farmer's are not equating summer market success with winter market success. To some extent, the success of markets, including Green City, have not translated into off-season success. Thus, the farmer's are weary.

I talked with someone from one of the biggest local farms last week. He said that they had tried winter farming several years ago, but that it was mostly a bust. Thus, they have not had much interest since. I believe his sentiments are shared by other farmers who do not see the profits in the extra efforts.

We obviously have a very vicious circle going on with winter farming and markets. Farmers do not see the money in it, and too often, consumers are not buying because there is nothing to buy.

What people need to do (if they want successful winter markets) is to firstly convince the farmers that they will buy if they come. Then, they have to show that they actually did buy.

I strongly believe that the supply of local food in the Chicago area can increase in the winter by having more storage crops and by winter farming. It's not the fault of weather or technology. It's the fault of supply and demand.

VI -- There is also the factor of OPPORTUNITY to consider. In a city as vital as Chicago, how successful do you suppose a ventire could be, if it were able to emulate the markets that exist in lesser cities -- such as
Reading Terminal Market

The home page descibes the market as:
"Mouth-watering aromas. Produce fresh from the field. Amish specialties. Fresh meats, seafood, and poultry. Unique, hand-made pottery, jewelry and crafts from around the world. The hustle and bustle of a multitude of diverse people. It’s all here in Philadelphia’s historic farmers market, Reading Terminal Market. An exhilarating selection of baked goods, meats, poultry, seafood, produce, flowers, ethnic foods, cookware and eclectic restaurants are peppered throughout the Market. We invite you to explore this unique and extraordinary historic farmers market in Center City Philadelphia."

Just think how enjoyable it would be for Chicago to have such a variety of vendors and ready-to-eat food available year-round. Seems like a winner to me. Unfortunately, it also seems like a long-shot -- perhaps akin to the odds that the Cubs will take it all next year.

When I first went to Reading Terminal Market, I was ready to sell my Chicago condo and move to Philadelphia.

I went there every day while I was there. And, apparently so do a lot of Philadelphians. It's successful, busy, and does offer quite a bit of local food, from cheeses to pretzels.

Many large cities have viable markets such as these. I'm not sure who would champion this, but I sure hope someone comes along with both the vision and the cash.

Isn't Green City Market staying open every Saturday all winter long at the Notebart Nature Museum? I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere.

stevez wrote:Isn't Green City Market staying open every Saturday all winter long at the Notebart Nature Museum? I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere.

Every Wed and Sat from Nov 1 to Dec 20 (closed Nov 29th though) Then starting again in January, the market is on only the first and third Saturday of the month.

When I was in college I was lucky to study abroad in Florence and absolutely fell in love with the year-round indoor market, the Central Mercado. I have always wished we could get something like that in Chicago. It's very large, open six days a week (I think it closes around 2 or 3 in the afternoon), sells mainly local products, and has two stories with meats, cheeses and prepared foods sold on the lower level and fresh produce upstairs.

I think Chicago has been making great strides lately in establishing year-round markets with the Green City market extended throughout the winter and the new Chicago Farmstand, which I still have to visit. But I still dream about these European-style markets - hopefully we'll get something like that someday.