Loading ...Mulling The Market
Posted by Kirsten Henri on November 13th, 2008
It’s been a while since we professed our undying love for the masterful work of Rick Nichols, but after reading his lyrical analysis of the Italian Market situation in today’s Inquirer, we wanted to make our deep and abiding love for him public once again.
Seriously, people who call yourselves food writers, pay your respects to Rick! He is the direction in which all worthy pendulums swing, blog or otherwise.
And now, on to a discussion of the Italian Market! First of all, it looks like Signore Emilio Mignucci has been reading Foobooz, since he’s planning for the wine and cheese shop we suggested for Butcher’s Café and the super-awesome craft beer store of our dreams. So, you’re welcome, Brothers Di Bruno! No charge.
Second of all, can the Italian Market be saved? Does it need to be?
Here’s what we think: It should be saved, but boy does it need a major overhaul and an injection of fresh ideas, stores and attitude. Not to mention a thorough scrubdown.
People in Philly are obsessed with the past. Part of that obsession makes sense – the country started here and we make much of our tourism money off of that history. But there’s appreciative and respectful of the past and then there’s obsessive and clingy and stubborn and small-minded about the past, which is unfortunately what we seem to run into in Philly more often than not. Sometimes it’s misplaced nostalgia, sometimes it’s laziness and sometimes it’s outright xenophobia that is at the root of this obsession, but it seems especially pronounced in Philly.
The past can coexist happily with the present and in other cities, it often does. In fact, I just visited Pike Place Market in Seattle this past week and was happy to discover that it’s a lively, active, CLEAN, tourist-friendly place that still embraced its history. It was overrun with tchotchke stalls and head shops, but there was still a vibrant community of food purveyors. If you want to get really particular, I suppose Pike Place is more analogous to Reading Terminal Market, which has its own issues, but the fact remains that it’s a public market that has moved forward to the benefit of all – the merchants and the customers. And the city.
I love going to the Italian Market, but I don’t linger. When I shop there, it’s a direct hit and retreat: mozzarella or burrata at Claudio’s, sausage at Fiorella’s, occasionally a roast pork sandwich from George’s, an expensive but quirky kitchen gadget from Fante’s, tacos al pastor from Los Taquitos de Puebla. Most of the produce there is embarrassing, unless you’re planning on cooking it to death, but it’s inexpensive, which is important, too. Like Rick mentions in the article, that could become even more important in these trying times.
Imagine if the best parts of the Headhouse Square Farmers Market (the local stuff, the pleasantly earnest salesfolk) could blend with the best parts of the Italian Market (the prices, the old-school expertise, the variety)? With a few places to stop and have a beer or a glass of wine or a market treat while you shopped? And a place that wasn’t so dirty? And run-down? There’s charming and then there’s poorly maintained. It’s always amazing to me that some of those buildings haven’t been condemned. Although even a paint job would be a major improvement to many of the facades.
How about enhancing the ‘green factor‘? Rather than adding tons more parking (although some is certainly necessary), how about hiring a bunch of pedicab drivers on the weekend to schlep people and their groceries (or tourists) back to Center City? How about adding street performances other than the creepy strolling accordionist?
Since we seem to have Mignucci’s ear here, why not put your own suggestions in the comments below?
Can the Italian Market be saved? [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Related Tags: Italian-Market, Rick-Nichols
November 13th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Close 9th street to automobile traffic. Make it Pedestrian only. Put the venders on the curb and shoppers in the street and for god’s sake get rid of the burning trash barrels.
November 13th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
That creepy strolling accordianist used to practice his accordian stylings in the first floor of my old apartment building. He would also do some exotic vocal exercises that sounded like a cross between a moan and a yawn. I always dread seeing him outside of Sabrina’s.
November 13th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I was walking home from Pat’s one night and the smell of 9th street hit me, the meatpacking district!
Why not?
I like the direction suggested so far, but also add a dance spot into one of those abandoned warehouses. You are close to the Passyunk crawl as it is and south philly needs a Barbary.
Werd.
November 13th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
pedestrian only street like mike said. it doesn’t need saving, just a few changes.
November 13th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
the majority of the comments here have made me very annoyed, but i have deleted my criticisms in search of the greater good. but i will leave behind a simple economic lesson – you cannot expect the quality and beauty of 9th street to be improved without also expecting an increase in costs. if the market’s purpose is to be the low-cost produce provider, then you cannot expect it to look like a wegman’s.
but i do like the idea of a barbary in the hood.
November 13th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
I love the Italian Market as it is. Why combine “the best aspects of Headhouse” with it? You want Headhouse, go to Headhouse. You want red peppers 6 for a dollar, you go to the Italian Market.
(And then be sure to cook them within 24 hours.)
November 14th, 2008 at 5:16 am
BURNING BARRELS…
The burning barrels would be an interesting feature that added a kooky visual to the street, if the total morons feeding them just put wood and cardboard in them.
Unfortunately, they throw all their plastic in there as well.
That smell of burning plastic that is clearly and sometimes quite strongly making it to your nostrils is, in fact, toxic as hell. Burning plastic is poisonous gas, and if you’re smelling it, YOU’RE BREATHING IT!
That one thing has, for years, made my visits to the Italian Market more a rarity than the regular habit it would otherwise be.
Educate the knuckle heads that they are killing themselves, each other, their clients AND THEIR BUSINESS by burning plastic, and maybe you’ll make a change.
November 14th, 2008 at 11:46 am
I wander through the Italian Market all the time, and have no idea what boldfaceboy is talking about.
November 14th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Closing 9th street would be great. I never could really follow why someone would drive up it on a weekend anyway.
I also think it would cool if Claudio’s or dibrunos had an outside stand selling cheese and sausage.
Some of the empty spots would make great bars too. That way people could smoke and make noice outside and not really bother anyone.
November 14th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Why does the market need to be saved or changed? I always though 9th Street was a great icon of Philly, especially when compared to what I consider tourist traps like Pike Place. The amazing thing about 9th Street is that Philadelphians actually shop there.
Somebody above spoke about running a couple errands in the market and then leaving like its a bad thing. That’s what markets are for!
Yes, it’s dirty. Yes, some of the stalls are pretty dingy and low class. But it also houses one of the finest gourmet food providers in the country, more than one hip coffee shop, a great brunch place, and the walk between South and Christian actually shows off one of the nicer neighborhoods in the city.
The gentrification of the surrounding neighborhoods are already transforming the market more than any organized plan would. But I for one don’t want to lose the cheap produce, (most of the) grit, and the attitude of the salesmen. This is what makes the market am authentic Philadelphian landmark. Embrace it!
November 14th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I see the highest use of the Italian Market as a cross between the New York Meat Packing District, Union Square Farmers Market and the Chealsea Market all in NY. I would not emphasize too much on night life but would instead concentrate more on food. I believe that for it to succeed you would need at least one anchor/destination restaurant. Vetri, Garces or perhaps an out of towner would be perfect. I would rather see boutique retail stores, instead of bars, and as much public space as possible.
If you do this and somehow keep the authentisism that Ben refers to above, I think it would truely be a great place again.
April 18th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
The Italian Market is a filthy, outdated DUMP. Even local residents don’t shop there anymore because it is so dirty.
It’s time to start issues some serious fines for the merchants who don’t care about cleanliness and sanitation.
People are finally waking up to the fact that there are better and cleaner options elsewhere. Good riddance to these absuive and filthy merchants.