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One thing I cringe hearing about from Broadway Market detractors is how “ugly” the building is or how it is a “glorified parking ramp” or whatever…and how that works against the Market in being successful.
I posted a couple pics earlier today of a building and its parking lot. It is the Booth’s Corner Farmers Market outside of Philadelphia. I was there about twelve years ago and made my way to it again about ten days while visiting family in Philadelphia.
The Booth’s Corner Farmers Market building isn’t much to look at. This, however, has no impact on its success. The place was rock-n-rolling in the short time I was there. It has everything you’d expect to see at a market…bakeries, butchers, produce, and everything in between. It’s layout was chaotic. I loved it.
As you will see in the pictures, a nice variety of different vendors. Heck, there was even a lawyer with a stand.
The broader point here is that the Broadway Market’s current building isn’t what is holding it back. People don’t complain during it’s busy season around Easter about the location or the building…it is what is inside that draws people. The building certainly needs some capital improvements and TLC, but the bones aren’t bad.
Ultimately though, the problem still remains on how to draw more people year round.
I really believe that there are a lot of people who want to see the Broadway Market fade away.
Thank you for posting this article and great pix! In terms of design and layout, the B-Way Market has major legs up over this market — better to have a building with built-in parking than this shoreline on a surface parking lot lake. When it comes to what’s holding back Buffalo’s public market, you are so right to say that it’s not the building (or the neighborhood). Markets thrive with much worse buildings, worse settings, and much less going for them.
Great pictures. As with most businesses, people can vote with their feet.