Wow, I could hardly believe that I was looking at a part of America! It looks more like a European city except that the grid layout of its streets is a dead giveaway that this is indeed in America. Pike's Place Market in Seattle could look more like here if they'd only improve public transit and eliminate parking for visitors.
I tried going there the other day, but it looked completely empty, and the area felt really sketchy. I'm cool with urbanism and walkability, but if it isn't actually functioning as a public space that people want to be in, it doesn't mean much.
I'm not sure I understand exactly what a public market is. What makes it different from a mall, lifestyle center, food hall, farmer's market or shopping district? Are there examples of bad public markets? If so, what is the difference between a good one and a bad one?
A public market is a permanent marketplace that offers a variety of goods, often emphasizing fresh food and local crafts, and serves as a community hub. Unlike malls or lifestyle centers, which are more retail-focused, public markets support local vendors and are often managed by public entities or non-profits. A successful public market is characterized by quality and diversity of products, a welcoming environment, and strong community engagement. In contrast, a poorly managed public market may suffer from issues like limited product variety, maintenance problems, and lack of vendor or community support.
I can provide two examples of a bad public market. One is Glendale Galleria, a shopping mall just outside of Los Angeles that's partly outdoors. It's difficult for me to articulate why I think it's bad except that it felt contrived and didn't grow organically, and it's mostly full of retail chains. Another one is a farmer's market located in a section of the parking lot of Kapiolani Community College in Honolulu, Hawaii. It's open only on Saturday mornings and their opening and closing is strictly regulated and announced by a bullhorn. I think part of its immense popularity is the feeling of scarcity created due to its short hours, which causes people to get there as early as possible to grab a parking space in the rest of the parking lot (which is huge by the way) because you'll otherwise have to either park on the street really far away or take an infrequent bus from specific locations where most people don't actually live, and getting there by bicycle is very difficult. Despite its name, most of the vendors offer food that we'd associate with food trucks like artisan pizza, fried noodles and shaved ice, and despite being in Hawaii, it's difficult to feel relaxed there, let alone find a comfortable place to sit and eat your lunch.
Great video, I’m from Cincinnati and love the market
Great video as always 🎉
Thank you!!
Wow, I could hardly believe that I was looking at a part of America! It looks more like a European city except that the grid layout of its streets is a dead giveaway that this is indeed in America. Pike's Place Market in Seattle could look more like here if they'd only improve public transit and eliminate parking for visitors.
I tried going there the other day, but it looked completely empty, and the area felt really sketchy. I'm cool with urbanism and walkability, but if it isn't actually functioning as a public space that people want to be in, it doesn't mean much.
I'm not sure I understand exactly what a public market is. What makes it different from a mall, lifestyle center, food hall, farmer's market or shopping district? Are there examples of bad public markets? If so, what is the difference between a good one and a bad one?
A public market is a permanent marketplace that offers a variety of goods, often emphasizing fresh food and local crafts, and serves as a community hub. Unlike malls or lifestyle centers, which are more retail-focused, public markets support local vendors and are often managed by public entities or non-profits. A successful public market is characterized by quality and diversity of products, a welcoming environment, and strong community engagement. In contrast, a poorly managed public market may suffer from issues like limited product variety, maintenance problems, and lack of vendor or community support.
I can provide two examples of a bad public market. One is Glendale Galleria, a shopping mall just outside of Los Angeles that's partly outdoors. It's difficult for me to articulate why I think it's bad except that it felt contrived and didn't grow organically, and it's mostly full of retail chains.
Another one is a farmer's market located in a section of the parking lot of Kapiolani Community College in Honolulu, Hawaii. It's open only on Saturday mornings and their opening and closing is strictly regulated and announced by a bullhorn. I think part of its immense popularity is the feeling of scarcity created due to its short hours, which causes people to get there as early as possible to grab a parking space in the rest of the parking lot (which is huge by the way) because you'll otherwise have to either park on the street really far away or take an infrequent bus from specific locations where most people don't actually live, and getting there by bicycle is very difficult. Despite its name, most of the vendors offer food that we'd associate with food trucks like artisan pizza, fried noodles and shaved ice, and despite being in Hawaii, it's difficult to feel relaxed there, let alone find a comfortable place to sit and eat your lunch.