This is a story of an older public
market that is struggling with change. A recently written article contained
many interesting quotes that could be relevant to many global markets.
“The market's greatest strength –
its history as a local institution – also makes it a place that's stubbornly
slow to embrace change. And while no one wants it to become a cheesy tourist
trap selling T-shirts and trinkets, no one wants it to be irrelevant, either.”
"Why change? some would
argue. The market is fine. It attracts a million visitors a year and vendors
say sales are still rising in the wake of the centennial. That sentiment
overlooks the fact that there are plenty of challenges here, as well. Beyond
the parking problem, which vendors say is No. 1, the buildings have a backlog
of repairs. And then there are the shoppers who bitch about rotten produce, and
plenty of others who say the hours are inconvenient. Others ask: Why aren't
there more local foods?”
"Yes, the market is a great
place for cheap produce and affordable meat options, however, the market is
stuck in a time warp, minus a couple new specialty shops and those who choose
to sell organic produce, local produce, and farm-raised meats. The problem is
the latter are few and far between, with many vendors selling absolute garbage
that might have fallen off the truck. I say it is time the market cleans up
before it goes the way of the dinosaur."
“Some complain that the market's
hours are impractical and don't serve customers or businesses. "The hours
need to be convenient for customers, that's No. 1," says one trader.
"I don't have enough days in the week to sell my stuff. I'd love to be
open Sunday, to add another day to my schedule. I'm working at capacity
now." Other vendors disagree, saying that they already work long hours and
don't want to add a day. “
“The older generation of vendors
had become so used to being ignored by the city, they often assumed an
adversarial stance out of habit. "They
were angry with the city in the past because they'd asked for things and didn't
get them," she says. "These guys had been duct-taping things together
for many decades."
This market is in Cleveland, Ohio
and despite its problems, appears to be working through its issues with a new
CEO and new younger trader representatives. It exists in a dynamic growing
neighbourhood and has extended its hours to cater for customer demand.