Concept: Expand and Enhance Maxwell St. Market

If there is a thread that already addresses this, please let me know. While searching for anything written about this concept, I was led to a thread discussing food trucks and Maxwell St. As a chef and business owner I am in full support of food trucks but they are not the only reason for my interest in the Maxwell St. Market.

I've lived in Pilsen since '98 and have been visiting the market ever since. I've enjoyed its goods and services on many different levels. There is plenty written about the market, especially by David Hammond, so I don't need to go into detail about what the market offers today.

What I would love to see is an interest in the market by other people who could benefit as vendors which in turn, will draw interest from new visitors who will be drawn to these new vendors. Of course, any new visitors to the market will also be drawn to the great things that already fixtures at the market.

Where else has the City of Chicago designated such an expansive open air market with permanent fixtures? Where else has the city allowed the year-round preparation and cooking of delicious foods in an open air environment? Where else do people sell their wares in such an environment year round? Produce? ANYTHING?

This area of the City is also rife with gigantic expanses of industrial buildings, some of which are empty or about to become empty. These buildings could be added to the market and become indoor "malls" for the market with full-scale eateries, vendors, etc. (See Kansas City City Market).

This area of the city is a historic area. Mrs. O'Leary's house once stood in the area. There is a firefighter's museum there.

Navy Pier is the Disney World, Maxwell St. could be our KC City Market or Ferry Plaza, etc. But so much more unique based on what Maxwell St. is today, what it was and what it can be.

In the past, I fixated on a concept that would turn the old post office into a big marketplace and vertical farm. I still think it would be a cool idea for the right organizations. But Maxwell St. is already an organization, it's already there, it's alive and needs to be fed to survive. My wish, is that continues to be fed and continues to grow in a new and exciting direction.

It's great that you would like to see new vendors. It sounds as if you are very familiar with the mkt. Any thoughts on what might be an underserved area of the market? What do you think the market could use as far as new vendors? Could the new vendors you are thinking of be profitable with the existing clientelle?

I'd love it if some of the Asian vendors had food stands instead of selling stuff (though I love the stand that features edible plants, and wouldn't want that one to go away) - I assume many of them are coming up from Chinatown; it's not far and wouldn't be the most difficult thing to open a food stand featuring ultra-regional specialties the way the Mexican stands do. I also wonder if anyone has approached the existing semi-legal food trucks in the area and offered them a chance to legitimize.

Yes, I'm very familiar with the market. I've been telling friends about it, have been taking my family there, for years--ever since a friend of mine, told me about the market and took me there over ten years ago. I don't get to the market as much anymore but I still tell people about it. A few people that I've talked to though, made me realize that some people have stigmas about the food aspect of the market. They may say something like "ooooh, you eat there?" I say, most definitely! You should too!

I can't speak to what areas of the market are under-served. I've never spoken with other vendors about that. A recent Gapers Block article talking about the market "fading away" though makes it sound like it's hurting.

Who could I see as new vendors? The answer is, anyone who vends, artists, performers, musicians. Anyone. Here are the things that I see at Maxwell St.: food (fresh, hot, cold, dried); clothing (new and used, shoes); tools (new, used, other); music (cds, tapes, dj, an occasional band).

I could also see several vacant buildings (I just drove through this morning and confirmed a couple of buildings boarded up with "for lease" signs on them) being incorporated into the market as permanent "mall" type buildings for the market--museum, food, entertainment, etc. making the market just as much a destination in the cold winter months.

Could the new vendors be profitable with the existing clientele? I don't know. There's only one way to find out. But I'm pretty sure that new vendors will also bring new clientele.

@mhays,

I'm with you. Here's how I see it:

Food:

Produce:

Goods:

We can plug anything into those categories that make up the market. I'd love to be able to see smoke billowing up from the woks along Maxwell St. At the same time, I'd love to be able to buy unique vegetables and herbs from Asian vendors, some of the most experienced urban gardeners in history.

A way to legitimize food trucks in the city? All they would have to do is be given a place park.

links to other outdoor community markets with characteristics possibly well-suited to incorporating within the pre-existing maxwell st. market. If the market needs further attention to be sustainable, then let's continue to give it the attention we do, plus more.

first fridays at abbott kinney in venice beach, CA http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodladydu ... otostream/

indoor/outdoor markets and food stalls Camden Market, London: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camden_Market

indoor/outdoor produce and ethnic markets, eateries, breweries KC City Market: http://www.flickr.com/photos/art_chel/s ... 648131217/