Fresh food

This is a nice Wikipedia photo of the West Side Market. The Market is a true Cleveland icon. It has been saved, remodeled and praised.

As a child my mother would take me from Scranton Road and Clark Avenue, by trolley, to the Market. The large vaulted, ceramic tiled interior space had all kinds of permanent vendors selling all kinds of meat, cheese and produce. There were whole carcasses of all kinds of animals. It is a real experience. If you go there often enough you get to know the vendors and there is always an interesting conversation.

What I remember most though were the outside vendors. Wrapped around two sides of this building were farmers' stalls, open to the air, that were occupied several days a week. These were my wonderment. The farmers would split open their summer melons and offer slices to assure you of their quality. There was much given away in the hope of a sale.

These outdoor stalls at more contemporary markets have no where near the character and ambiance of those at the West Side Market.










These white tents have to be set up and taken down by each vendor. They might provide a nice bright soft light on the sales area but little beyond that.










This is a corner entry and an interior photo. To my liking there have been too many upgrades over the years. The "outdoor" stands have been enclosed with tacky metal roofed enclosures. Cleveland winters are brutal and greenhouse farmers that work the winters are certainly far more comfortable. In the past there were canvas coverings and fires going in 55 gallon drums to keep everyone warm. The interior, with its wooden stands, brick piers and vaulted ceramic tile ceiling is truly unique.

Here's a birdseye of the stands that wrap the market building.

So the winery gets permanent stands. Yes it might be expensive. But it may just fix a memory of an elegant, rich, fresh, aromatic, lively market in the mind of another small child.