GREENSHEET - napmm.org

Special
Conference Edition
Ja nu a r y 2 0 1 5
GREENSHEET
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
About NAPMM
Founded in 1947, NAPMM
strives to help market
managers improve facilities
and increase services while
encouraging cooperation and
exchange of ideas between
members and partners.
NAPMM Officers
Dan Kane........................... President
Rose Harrell ......... 1st Vice President
Fred Cole ............ 2nd Vice President
Deb Churchill (non-board) Treasurer
Kristina Stanley ..................Secretary
On behalf of myself and the Board of Directors,
It has been a busy year for NAPMM. We had a great Fall retail meeting in
Grand Rapids, Michigan, where 21 managers toured what has to be the state
of the art in retail markets in this country. Truly an amazing facility. Many
thanks to Mimi Fritz and her staff for hosting this meeting.
Planning for the 69th Annual Conference to be held in Ft Myers, Florida, April
8-11, 2015 is nearly complete. The Board held their annual retreat in Ft.
Myers at the Conference Hotel on January 12 and 13 th and had an
opportunity for input on the agenda and off-site tours. Many thanks to the
conference committee and our gracious hosts, the Florida Department of Agriculture. As I think
you will agree, they have put together an impressive program. Full conference details and
registration materials are included in this edition of the GREENSHEET.
The Board also began discussions related to the long term direction of the organization and
updates to our existing strategic plan. This process will continue in April in Ft. Myers.
I am proud to be President of an organization which provides so much value to its members. We
owe a debt of gratitude to Bill Mulligan Sr., Walter Fleming and the others who had the foresight to
originally conceive the need and concept for NAPMM. The organization has grown and evolved
over the years, but as has been true from the start, the most significant value NAPMM provides to
its members is access to the network of dedicated professionals who are willing to share their
knowledge of this unique industry with their colleagues.
Hope to see everyone in Ft. Myers. Please reach out to other managers in your area and
encourage them to attend. This is one conference you don’t want to miss!
Dan Kane, President
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Explore Ft. Myers And Southwest
Florida During Conference Stay
Conference Includes Tour of the
Edison and Ford Winter Estates
Nominations Being Accepted for
Market Manager of the Year
Food For Thought“ Fresh From
Florida’ Marketing Campaign
Keeps State’s Commodities top
of Mind with Consumers
Reading Terminal Market GM
Steinke Stepping Down
Makers and Movers Economic
Cluster Strategy:
Recommendations for San
Francisco’s Food and Beverage
Manufacturers and Distributors
Reading Terminal Underground
Two Recent Events at the
Rochester Public Market
Baltimore Looks to Make Over
Its City Markets
Register Now for NAPMM’s 69th Annual Conference
Ft. Myers, Florida
April 8-11, 2015
~ Registration Materials Are Included ~
EXPLORE FT. MYERS
CONFERENCE STAY
AND
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
DURING YOUR
The Embassy Suites, Estero, provides a perfect location to venture out and explore the Southwest
Florida coast and the everglades. The hotel is located about 17 miles southeast from the excitement, restaurants and pristine beach of the Times Square area of Ft Myers Beach and just a few
miles further from the tranquility and beauty of Sanibel and Captiva Islands, the shelling capital of
the world.
A few miles to the southwest is Bonita Springs with its public beaches and the forever wild Lovers
Key State Park, consistently voted one of Florida’s favorite beaches. Bonita Springs is also home
to a huge flea market and a Greyhound track which includes table games and machines for your
gaming pleasure.
Traveling south out of Bonita Springs brings you to the beauty and elegance of Naples and Marco
Island. One of the priciest locales in all of Florida, Naples has a famous downtown shopping area
near the beaches with an excellent selection of restaurants along its historic wharf.
(cont’d next page…)
GreenSheet
Page 2
EXPLORE FT MYERS AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
CONFERENCE STAY (CONT’D)
DURING YOUR
Just miles to the east brings you to the wild expanse of the Everglades National Park.
Ft. Myers has a colorful history focused on the access the river
provided to the City over the years until it was finally connected
by rail in 1904 and by a bridge accessible by autos in 1924. The
following excerpt from Wikipedia highlights the City’s history
and development.
On February 21, 1866, Manuel A. Gonzalez and his five-yearold son, Manuel S. Gonzalez, became the first permanent settlers of Fort Myers after arriving from Key West, Florida. Three weeks later, Joseph Vivas and his
wife, Christianna Stirrup Vivas, arrived with Gonzalez's wife, Evalina Gonzalez, and daughter,
Mary Gonzalez. [10]
Ft. Myers
Beach
Gonzales had shipped supplies and carried mail during the war and settled his family near the
abandoned Fort Myers to begin the town's first trading post. Gonzalez traded tobacco, beads, and
gunpowder, and sold otter, bobcat, and gator hide, to the neighboring Seminole Indians.
In 1881, the wealthy industrialist Hamilton Disston of Philadelphia came to the Caloosahatchee
Valley to dredge and drain the everglades for development. Diston connected Lake Okeechobee
with the Caloosahatchee River, which allowed steamboats to run from the Gulf of Mexico to Lake
Okeechobee and up the Kissimmee River.
On August 12, 1885, the small town of Fort Myers—all 349 residents—was incorporated.
In 1898, Fort Myers became a nationally known winter resort destination with the building of the
Royal Palm Hotel.
On May 10, 1904, access to the Fort Myers area was greatly improved with the opening of the
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, connecting Punta Gorda to Fort Myers. This route provided Lee
County both passenger and freight railroad service.
In 1924, with the construction of the Tamiami Trail Bridge, the city's population steadily grew. In
the decade following the bridge's construction, the city experienced its first real estate boom, which
created several new housing subdivisions throughout the city.
Naples
For more information about Ft Myers and Southwest Florida, visit www.visitflorida.com/enus/cities/fort-myers.html
CONFERENCE
INCLUDES
TOUR
OF THE
EDISON
AND
FORD WINTER
By Jim Farr, Conference Chair
The 2015 NAPMM Conference includes a guided tour and lunch at the Thomas Edison and
Henry Ford Winter Estates. Located in downtown Ft Myers along the scenic Caloosahatchee
River, the estates include not only the wonderfully restored homes but also extensive renovated
gardens and landscapes , a restored Edison laboratory and a museum focusing on the Edison
and Ford legacy in the region, nationally and internationally. The Estate is a Florida Historic
Landmark, on the National Register of Historic Places and also has been designated a Restore
America site for its excellence in restoration by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Thomas Edison came to Ft Myers in the March of 1885 to escape the cold and snow at his New
Jersey home base. He purchased 12 acres along the Caloosahatchee River and created a property that included two homes and a laboratory.
The estate became a favorite winter retreat for family and friends, guests would stay for weeks
or months. (cont’d next page…)
Edison-Ford
Estates
J a nua r y 2 0 1 5
Page 3
CONFERENCE INCLUDES TOUR
ESTATES (CONT’D)
OF THE
EDISON
AND
FORD WINTER
Henry Ford first came to Fort Myers in 1914 at the invitation of his good friend, Thomas Edison. Two years later, the adjacent property, the Mangoes, became available for $20,000. Ford
purchased the properly and for the next 20 years the Ford and Edison families spent the winters together in Ft Myers.
The guided tour will highlight the history and beauty of the estate as well as the vast horticultural diversity of the site. The group will enjoy an elegant lunch along the river reminiscent of
the meals the estate's original owners hosted for many years.
Watermelon
Packing
And
Shipping In
South
Florida
NOMINATIONS
ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR MARKET MANAGER
OF THE YEAR
DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS — MARCH 4, 2015
Our organization includes many great managers and markets. There also are some great
managers out there not currently involved with NAPMM. Now is your chance to recognize your
colleagues, for both their excellence in managing their markets and also for service to NAPMM.
Please take time to review the criteria below and consider nominating a manager who exemplifies
the standards that NAPMM promotes or a member of NAPMM who has gone above and beyond
to support our organization.
Market Manager of the Year Award—Process and Criteria
The Market Manager of the Year Award is to recognize a market manager for their work and
accomplishments at their market and/or markets they have managed or are managing. The
recipient’s level of involvement with NAPMM or other trade organization is not the focus of
this award.
The Market Manager of the Year Award is selected annually by a committee of the NAPMM
membership.
The committee will widely disseminate a “call for nominations” for the award at least 90 days
prior to the start of the annual Convention/Conference/Meeting.
Market Managers, organizations and/or individuals can nominate an individual for the award.
Committee members may also nominate an individual. The award recipient must be a current
or past market manager. Nominations are to be sent to the Award Committee for their
consideration utilizing the form available on the webpage at www.napmm.org.
Please take the time to recognize your colleagues.
Ft. Myers State
Farmers Market
Immokalee State
Farmers Market
NAPMM’s Website Has a New Look!
Some of the new features include:
 Slideshow of images at the top of the
home page
 Sponsor logos linked to the sponsor’s
website when clicked
 Display area for announcements and
upcoming events
 Site search which allows you to search
content on the website based on keywords.
Check it out at
WWW.NAPMM.ORG
YouTube Video
of Lancaster
Central Market
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=R31Cg18T38Y
GreenSheet
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“FRESH FROM FLORIDA’
MARKETING CAMPAIGN KEEPS THE STATE’S
COMMODITIES TOP OF MIND WITH CONSUMERS
By Teree Caruthers
Start with a bowl of fresh Florida sweet corn, tomato and avocado salsa. Then dig into a feast of
garlic shrimp and fried green tomatoes. Finish with a cool slice of Florida blueberry key lime pie.
Hungry yet?
That’s exactly what the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is counting on
when it features recipes made with Florida commodities. The recipes campaign is part of the
“Fresh From Florida” program – the Department’s marketing initiative to promote Florida’s commodities to domestic and global consumer and retail markets.
“We promote easy, quick and healthy recipes using fresh, Florida produce and seafood. Our goal
is to encourage consumers to purchase fresh Florida fruits, vegetables and seafood. This helps
support Florida’s farmers and fishermen, and ultimately, the state’s economy,” says Donna Watson, supervisor of media for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The department’s certified executive chef, Justin Timineri, develops the recipes for the marketing
campaign. As the state’s culinary ambassador, Timineri travels around the state and across the
country conducting cooking demonstrations at trade shows, farmers’ markets, festivals and in public schools. The chef also travels internationally promoting Florida’s products. In 2012, he traveled
to the Summer Olympics in London to cook for the U.S. athletes and offer them “a taste of Florida.” Timineri says he sees his appointment as an opportunity to help educate consumers about
Florida commodities and how to incorporate fresh Florida products into their everyday menus.
“Consumers are asking more and more questions about their food nowadays, so it’s great to be
able to talk with them and educate them about where in Florida things are grown and when they’re
available. They can go to the market or grocery store and know that these products are available
and get the freshest product possible,” Timineri says. “Providing simple, fun and easy recipes that
they can make for and with their families is a very rewarding job.”
Page 4
“Consumers are asking
more and more questions
about their food nowadays,
so it’s great to be able to
talk with them and educate
them about where in
Florida things are grown
and when they’re available.
They can go to the market
or grocery store and know
that these products are
available and get the
freshest product possible,”
Timineri says.
“Providing simple, fun
and easy recipes that they
can make for and with
their families is a very
rewarding job.”
The department has catalogued more than 300 recipes along with cooking videos and tips at
freshfromflorida.com/recipes.
Regularly adding new recipes to this list is a part of the marketing efforts that keep consumers
engaged in the campaign through digital and social media. The “Fresh From Florida” website also
features locator maps for wineries, U-pick farms, and farmers’ markets around the state as well as
a list of produce and seafood availability by season and a calendar of food-related festivals. Watson says the recipes campaign has been so successful within the state that the Department has
expanded the program to markets in other states.
“Most of our efforts have been in-state, but this past year, we targeted Grand Rapids (Michigan) as
a test market, partnering with a retailer,” Watson says. “The television campaign was initially
scheduled for three weeks. However, due to the success, the retailer extended the television program for an additional two weeks.”
In fact, one of the department’s most successful efforts to grow distribution of products has been
the partnership with domestic retail chains to promote Florida commodities through print, television
and social media campaigns.
“When we first implemented our television campaign, one of the first items featured was shrimp.
One grocery chain basically doubled the pounds of [Florida] shrimp ordered,” says Susan Nardizzi,
Director of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Marketing
and Development. “They ended up ordering two tons of shrimp. That’s a significant amount.”
Nardizzi says the “Fresh From Florida” campaign is also helping in state’s growers and producers
break into emerging global markets.
“We implemented a promotion featuring Florida grapefruit juice in South Korea with a restaurant
chain. Within four weeks, the juice accounted for 4 percent of the overall products sold. This was a
huge success for the restaurant group and for Florida growers.” Nardizzi says. “We are moving
further into Asia. We have a relationship with a distributor in Singapore and we’re looking at expanding into Hong Kong with the same distributor in the next year or two. We’re also increasing
our efforts in Japan. We are currently conducting a test in about 175 stores. If it goes well, we believe the promotion of Florida produce could increase to as many as 1,000 stores in the next 16 to
18 months.”
“Those are just a few examples of what we can accomplish when we put our attention, focus and
incentive dollars toward a retail campaign,” she says.
Reprinted from Fresh From Florida, The Journal of Florida Agriculture, for on-line version,
visit FL-Agriculture.com
“When we first
implemented our television
campaign, one of the first
items featured was shrimp.
One grocery chain basically
doubled the pounds of
[Florida] shrimp ordered,”
says Susan Nardizzi,
Director of the Florida
Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services
Division of Marketing and
Development. “They ended
up ordering two tons
of shrimp. That’s a
significant amount.”
Nardizzi says the “Fresh
From Florida” campaign is
also helping in state’s
growers and producers
break into emerging global
markets.
J a nua r y 2 0 1 5
Page 5
Steinke described his 13
years at the market's helm
as good preparation for
public office.
The market's "need to
balance the interests of
various constituencies and
deal with them respectively"
is similar to government, he
said. "It makes me feel like
I've got good training."
"Certainly seeing the
market's profile and the
volume of business rise over
that period has been
something that has been
very gratifying," he said.
"This market has become
more of a centerpiece for
Philadelphia's urban
environment, an amenity
for everyone who lives,
works and visits the city."
San Francisco Mayor
Edwin Mah Lee, delivers his
State of the City address
at the new
San Francisco Wholesale
Market Building
READING TERMINAL MARKET GM STEINKE
STEPPING DOWN
By Emily Babay, Philly.com
Last updated: Friday, December 5, 2014, 11:17 AM
Posted: Friday, December 5, 2014, 9:40 AM
Reading Terminal Market's general manager is stepping down in order
to run for office.
The market said Paul Steinke is slated to announce his departure, effective Dec. 31, at a Monday news conference.
Steinke, who has led Reading Terminal since 2001, said he's resigning
this month in advance of a planned announcement of a campaign for an
at-large City Council seat early next year.
He plans to officially announce his bid for a Democratic at-large seat in January, with the date
and location for that event yet to be determined.
Steinke described his 13 years at the market's helm as good preparation for public office.
The market's "need to balance the interests of various constituencies and deal with them respectively" is similar to government, he said. "It makes me feel like I've got good training."
Steinke, who was the founding executive director of the University City District before running
Reading Terminal, said highlights from his tenure at the market include working to get the establishment open on Sundays, which happened in 2006; adding new vendors, renovated restrooms
and a demo kitchen; and watching the site's business volume and reputation improve.
"Certainly seeing the market's profile and the volume of business rise over that period has been
something that has been very gratifying," he said. "This market has become more of a centerpiece for Philadelphia's urban environment, an amenity for everyone who lives, works and visits
the city."
Reading Terminal, which opened in 1892, is one of country's largest public markets and a top
tourist attraction in the city. Earlier this fall, the venue at 12th and Arch streets in Center City
was recognized as one of the "10 Great Public Spaces in America" by a Washington-based planning association.
Every great city has attractions like museums, parks and libraries, Steinke said. But, "not every
great city has a great public market, and Philadelphia is fortunate to have one."
At Monday's news conference, the Reading Terminal's board of directors is also expected to
announce plans for the market's leadership transition.
MAKERS AND MOVERS ECONOMIC CLUSTER STRATEGY:
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAN FRANCISCO’S FOOD AND BEVERAGE
MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS
San Francisco Wholesale Market Manager , Michael Janis , is a steering committee member for
an innovative study whose goals are to develop strategies aimed at removing barriers for new and
existing food businesses in the Bay Area and to explore ways to increase the amount of regionally
sourced product into the food system amongst others. Below is an excerpt from a letter from the
Directors of San Francisco’s Planning Office and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development which explains the motivation behind the study:
Recognizing the critical role that the food and beverage industry plays in our community, Mayor
Lee created a Five-Point Plan to preserve and grow local manufacturing and distribution jobs.
In support of the Mayor’s Plan, the San Francisco Planning Department, Office of Economic and
Workforce Development (OEWD), and SPUR, supported by a steering committee of local businesses and non-profit organizations, developed the Makers and Movers Economic Cluster Strategy: Recommendations for San Francisco’s Food and Beverage Manufacturers and Distributors.
This report explores trends in the food and beverage production and distribution sectors, and provides industry-driven recommendations for how the City can better support these businesses. Key
findings and recommendations:
·
As of 2012, San Francisco had 370 Food and Beverage production and distribution firms,
employing just over 5,000 workers;
·
San Francisco has the third largest wholesale/distribution employment base among the
region's counties, with nearly 3,
·
The City's Food Manufacturers employed 1,850 workers, with bakeries as the single largest
subsector. The fifth largest employer of food makers of the nine Bay Area counties; and
·
Many of the entry-level jobs in the Food and Beverage Sector leads to higher paying positions for workers who may otherwise have limited opportunities to gain vocational training and
work experience and or have advanced education.
Some of the goals that have been developed for the project and study to date include the following:
·
Identify the opportunities and obstacles currently facing new and existing food businesses
in the industrial sector
·
Fully define and articulate San Francisco’s competitive advantage in food processing and
distribution (cont’d next page…)
GreenSheet
Page 6
MAKERS AND MOVERS ECONOMIC CLUSTER STRATEGY:
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAN FRANCISCO’S FOOD AND BEVERAGE
MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS (CONT’D)
·
Develop a set of policy and programmatic recommendations that address the obstacles
and capitalize on opportunities to attract, retain, and expand industrial food businesses
·
Target recommendations to areas with greatest opportunities and return on investment
·
Create strong, mutually supportive business-to business networks that encourage innovation and synergy
·
Prioritize incorporation of more regionally sourced produce into San Francisco’s food industry cluster
·
Develop diverse opportunities for urban job growth, retention, and skills/workforce development
To review the complete report go to http://sf-planning.org/sffoodbevindustry000 employees;
READING TERMINAL UNDERGROUND
By Drew Lazor
BASEMENTS, basically by definition, are the ugly and unloved stepchildren of any tiered structure.
A damp, dank place to stack cardboard boxes full of ex-lovers' stuff.
A resting place for never-used exercise equipment.
A sunlight-free ecosystem perfect for the cultivation of cobwebs and dust bunnies.
An eminently unsafe hiding place for psychotic clowns armed with blood-stained garden equipment. (Just me?)
But none of these subterranean stereotypes, even the totally rational killer-clown one, apply to
what lies beneath the Reading Terminal Market, one of Philadelphia's most recognized historical
and culinary contributions.
Directly below that forever-bustling main floor, jammed with produce-perusing locals, wide-eyed
tourists, hungry jurors on lunch break and the hundreds of employees who make it all go, is another world - and everything that goes on above would grind to a permanent halt without it.
Come on down
Along the eastern wall of RTM on 11th Street, between Arch and Filbert, you'll find the massive
facility's modest loading dock and its perpetually busy polka, whose notes we all know - the crank
of pallet jacks, the yells of work-gloved guys heaving and re-heaving, the incessant beeping of
heavy trucks thrown into reverse.
It's movie-perfect, a likely candidate for a Rocky jog-through the next time Stallone's geriatric
punch machine appears on screen.
Right off this dock sits a pair of unassuming freight elevators, gateway to a vast underground
world the average Terminal shopper never even considers.
At roughly 80,000 square feet, or 1.8 acres, the footprint of RTM's basement is identical in size to
its more famous sibling up top. They don't look like they're related, but they are.
Dozens of dry storage cages, basically one for each vendor, line one portion of the space. A comparable number of stand-alone refrigerated cases, most of them slapped with the names of the
owners written on tape, check in with their electric-hum harmonies. Posted signs, in English, Indonesian and Spanish, break down cleanliness policies. Miles of water, waste and grease pipes kink
along the ceiling.
Sections of original brick, still in pristine condition from the market's construction in 1893, sit in
silent supportive service. Close to 300 fluorescent bulbs shine down hard on the floor, ensuring
that there are no reliable hiding places for murder clowns.
'A true marvel'
Just like up top, the basement is relatively calm in the late afternoon, but from the hours of 4 to 8
a.m. it's a mob scene - vendors and support staff, rushing stuff in and out of their walk-ins, scrambling to prep, trying not to get in each other's way.
It's always been this crazy, but it used to be colder.
In the Market's earliest days, at the turn of the century, the basement "was considered a true marvel" in the field of cold storage, according to David K. O'Neil's book, Reading Terminal Market: An
Illustrated History. The entire floor was filled with rooms, some as large at 17,000 cubic feet,
cooled by a mechanically operated ammoniated-brine coil and cork insulation system.
Used for food storage and preparation (Bassetts Ice Cream, one of RTM's original tenants, crafted
its sweet wares down here until the 1960s), space was also leased out to hospitals for medicine
storage and to wealthy epicurean families to stash their perishable snacks.
Yuengling even stored its brewing hops here. "It was, by some accounts, as renowned as the
market itself," said RTM general manager Paul Steinke.
"[It] allowed the merchants to carry and keep relatively fresh exotic game meats and produce from
around the world," said Carolyn Wyman, a local author who leads the Market's biweekly Taste of
Philly Food tours. (cont’d next page…)
Terminal Market GM
Paul Steinke stands in the
bright, clean, dry, cool and
relatively secret subterranean
storage and prep facilities
below the Market floor.
The basement has lots of
room for storing large
shipments.
J a nua r y 2 0 1 5
Page 7
R E A D I N G T E R M I N A L U N D E R G R O U N D ( CO N T’ D )
This cart, still down in the
basement, hauled goods back
and forth in the days when
the space was cooled by
"modern" refrigeration.
To Read More:
http://www.philly.com/philly/ga
llery/20140911_Reading_Ter
minal_Underground.html?vie
wGallery=y
Photos: STEVEN M. FALK /
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
But this chill system - so effective an egg stored "for up to fourteen months would still be perfect and
could be sold as fresh," according to O'Neil's book - actually cost more to run than the upstairs market.
Over time, the basement, as well as the market above it, fell into disrepair.
Reviving the market
In the early '90s, with the introduction of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, came renewed dedication to RTM as an iconic space and tourist destination. This translated to an ambitious revitalization of the basement level, as well.
When Steinke arrived in his current position, in 2001, the facilities had been improved, but they still
didn't compare to what it's like today. "There were some scattered refrigeration units here and there,
and all these cages lined up like toy soldiers," he said.
In 2010, when RTM announced an ambitious renovation plan that was completed two years later,
more upgrades came to the fore. Pretty much all the storage space, both dry and cold, was moved
from the main floor and brought downstairs, allowing six new vendors to open.
A second elevator was installed to accommodate all the newfound up-down traffic. And green initiatives were introduced, such as a system that captures heated water cast off by the fridge units, harnessing its energy to power the market's other hot-water lines.
"Normally, the idea is to just dump it down the drain and waste it," said operations manager Michael
Anthony. "Here, we're reusing it."
An elaborate cupboard
The systemic improvements have also spread to market vendors, who either buy and install their
own units downstairs or lease existing units and equipment from the market.
Iovine Brothers, the largest-volume vendor in the market, maintains a wildly elaborate series of produce storage down here. Old City Coffee dedicates space to stacking and storing its burlap sacks of
green beans, from exotic locales like Sumatra and Brazil.
The Original Turkey, owned by the Bassett family, built a prep kitchen downstairs to roast poultry
and make side dishes from scratch. Valley Shepherd Creamery has an enormous fresh-milk tank
down here that can be filled directly from the loading dock upstairs, as well as a case for aging
cheeses.
Hershel's East Side Deli uses its walk-in to brine its own pastrami and corned beef.
"Even though [the Market] takes up a whole city block, you only have so much space, so you're
limited in what you can do," said Hershel's owner Steve Safern. "You really need extra space to
make what's upstairs work for you."
All this ticks, along with elaborate facilities management and daily troubleshooting that makes the
flow of what goes on up top possible - if it seems to be effortless, now you know better.
"It's like maintaining a whole other market," said Steinke, "except the customers don't ever get to
see it."
Drew Lazor has been writing about the local food scene since 2005. His twice-monthly column focuses on unexpected people doing unexpected things in Philadelphia food. If you come across a
chef, restaurant, dish or food-related topic that bears investigation, contact him at
andrewlazor@gmail.com or on Twitter @drewlazor.
TWO RECENT
MARKET…
Food
Truck
Rodeo in
October
BALTIMORE
See Also:
Lexington Market master
plan to call for building
overhaul, better mix of
vendors
Looking to Philly's Reading Terminal Market for
ideas
SPECIAL EVENTS AT THE
ROCHESTER PUBLIC
Flash Mob Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feat
ure=player_embedded&x-ytcl=84503534&v=0T8gHsgfiFY&x-ytts=1421914688
LOOKS TO MAKE OVER ITS CITY MARKETS
By Kevin Litten, Reporter, Baltimore Business Journal
Just about everything around the city's public markets is changing. The problem is, very little inside
the markets has changed with it.
The six public markets have become part of the city's identity and a place to showcase Baltimore's
rich history and food traditions. Yet even as the movement to eat local has exploded and food has
become the hottest sector in bricks-and-mortar retail, many of the markets are in maintenance
mode — dreary and tired, out of touch with the fast-expanding American palate.
Longtime market watchers know this is an old problem. What's different now is that as people
move back to cities, officials know that vibrant public markets can be a lure for new residents and
visitors alike. Eastern Market in Washington, D.C., and Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia
are seen as national models for access to fresh food and improving quality of life, not to mention
tourist draws.
J a nua r y 2 0 1 5
Page 8
National Association of
Produce Market Managers
PO Box 1617
Garner, NC 27529
napmm.org
Over 65 Years Serving
The Produce Industry
B O ARD OF DIRECT O RS
Term Expires 2015
Jim Farr**
Michael Janis**
Rose Harrell
Term Expires 2016
Fred Cole**
Gary Da Silva
Tom Preston**
Kristina Stanley
Term Expires 2017
Ronnie Best**
James Haydu
Dan Kane**
Doug Sutton
Paul Thompson
**Denotes 2 Consecutive Terms
BALTIMORE
LOOKS TO MAKE OVER ITS CITY MARKETS
(CONT’D)
So now the race is on for Baltimore to play catch-up, both in infrastructure investments to Lexington Market and in finding new ways to draw vendors to the other public markets that will offer not
only basic fresh foods but specialty offerings not found in grocery stores.
The city will start with a $485,000 study, due out early next year, that explores how to overhaul
Lexington Market for the first time since the market burned down in 1949. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is pairing those recommendations with a leadership shake-up of the nonprofit that runs
the markets. She named on Dec. 5 a new executive director, Robert Thomas, to head the Baltimore Public Markets Corp.; Downtown Partnership of Baltimore Inc. President Kirby Fowler will
chair the board. Both Fowler and Thomas are pushing for change.
Private investors are circling, too. The city is poised to issue a request for proposals from developers to invest in the shabby Cross Street Market in Federal Hill, a neighborhood that boasts the
highest median income among the six city neighborhoods with public markets.
Finding money for the infrastructure improvements at Lexington Market is something Thomas said
he's not ready to discuss. But the 17-year veteran of the Baltimore Public Markets Corp. did say
amassing the right vendors will be a challenge in itself.
"Making the transition from, 'These are the people I'm selling to,' to 'I'm selling to the people I expect to come,' is a tough balance," Thomas said. "Because there's product that can go bad if the
people I want don't come in."
Markets as economic engines
There has been a gradual acknowledgement that the markets required wholesale change since
2010, when Rawlings-Blake hired a food policy director. Many of the six markets were the only
source of fresh food for nearby residents. But the mayor also realized the markets held potential
for revitalizing neighborhoods if they could give reason for people to come for items not offered in
grocery stores — especially those made by small producers, said Kaliope Parthemos, the mayor's
chief of staff.
"She understands how important the markets are as an economic engine, and they need to be
attractive to all demographics," Parthemos said. "It's a matter of making sure we put the capital
investments in while reflecting the needs of the neighborhood."
Market Ventures Inc., which has helped cities like Milwaukee and Portland, Maine, revitalize public
markets, was hired last year to begin a top-to-bottom study of how to revamp Lexington Market.
The study will include interviews with dozens of stakeholders and a glimpse at comments from
more than 5,000 responses to a survey conducted earlier this year.
Officials declined to get into how much it might cost to rehabilitate Lexington Market, but it will
surely be expensive: The 60-year-old structure needs new building systems, and a leveling of the
sloping floor will be proposed; vendor stalls would be reconfigured and rebuilt.
When Eastern Market in D.C. underwent a major renovation after a 2007 fire, it cost the city $35
million. Reading Terminal Market's 1990s overhaul — which included replacing building systems
— cost $50.5 million in today's dollars and was financed in part with city bonds.
Fowler, who replaces a city employee as chairman of the Public Markets Corp., will use the Lexington Market report as a guide for making changes to other smaller markets, in the form of physical improvements and the mix of vendors. Capital improvements have already been made at
Northeast Market, and renovations were recently completed at Avenue Market in West Baltimore.
"A lot of people depend on Lexington Market for fresh foods, but yes, there's other more selective
buyers who might want a fresh cheese," Fowler said. "It's possible to have all of these things in
one place." Ted Spitzer, president of Market Ventures, said that infrastructure is the biggest challenge for Lexington Market moving forward. The goal is revamping a "tired" building that "doesn't
support the customers or the vendors very well."
Private hands
A love of the markets is what's driving two prominent investors to prepare a bid to take control of
the flagging Cross Street Market.
Former Under Armour executive Scott Plank and real estate development firm Caves Valley Partners said recently that they are behind a push for the city to open up a competitive process to allow the market to be run privately.
Plank is already a private market operator through his War Horse LLC development firm in North
Baltimore's Belvedere Square. Caves Valley Partners has completed two South Baltimore projects
and is proposing a $250 million project near Cross Street Market known as Stadium Square.
Plank said he believes "all markets require public-private partnerships," saying that the "private
sector can attract a broader group of merchants."
"The city government is supposed to do certain things, and the private sector is supposed to do
certain things," Plank said. "But we're stronger when we do it together."
Plank and Caves Valley Partners' interest in the markets is what prompted the city to issue a RFP
to seek competitive bids. The city is working with private developers to improve Broadway Market
in Fells Point. Parthemos said that if it improves the markets' physical condition,"why shouldn't we
pursue it?"