Toledo Talk "The Erie Street Market circa 2001-2002" id 9286

I started personal blogging in August 2001. At that time, I installed a blog tool called greymatter on a free Web hosting site. When Toledo Talk began in January 2003, I stopped using the personal blog site. In 2003 or 2004, the free hosting site announced they would no longer be free, so I downloaded my blog postings.

Here are a couple postings I made related to the Erie Street Market back in 2001 and 2002. These are unedited except for one spot where I added a Web link within brackets. These postings contain numerous spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors.

Sep 8, 2001

This afternoon I, along with my wife and stepdaughter, went to downtown Toledo to the Farmer's Market to get some produce. We also purchased some freshly made Italian bread from the Massina's located in the Erie Street Market.

Both places, located next to each other, are excellent places to vist. The Farmer's Market is outdoors, but with a roof over the tables of produce brought in by local farmers. It's only opened on the weekends.

The Erie Street Market is indoors in an old renuvated warehouse. There are all kinds of little businesses located here. Some are only open on the weekends and others everyday. I really enjoy going downtown and shopping at these places.

Downtown Toledo has really changed a lot in recent years and it's all for the better. More restaurants and businesses are taking up residence in old, remodeled buildings. It's good to see these great looking pieces of architecture being preserved.

The new Toledo Mud Hens baseball stadium, nearing completion, is only a block or so away from the markets and it will be open for baseball next year.

We visited the Toledo library, also located downtown, last weekend. A new building was added to the existing structure and it had its grand opening just recently. It's a really nice libary. I plan to spend a lot time there this winter.

I love going downtown. I keep trying to talk my wife into moving into one of the new condos or apartment buildings that have opened within the past couple of years. I also think it would be great to be a computer programmer in a business located in one of those cool old five or six story buildings located on one of the side streets, but downtown Toledo is not noted as a high place for high tech.

This fact, however, may change as a local group is trying to attract more high tech businesses to move downtown. The organization, known as ITANO, holds informal gatherings at a bar/restaurant once a month for high tech individuals to network with each other and to bring attention to Toledo and hopefully, get more companies to locate downtown.

Aug 22, 2002

Last year, while Deb and I were wondering around the Erie Street Market, we thought that opening a small something or other in that building. But we realized there was no room for any new businesses. It was a nice problem to see, actually, that all available space in the market was being used. That was last year.

Before discovering the little coffee place [ My Daily Grind ] in Perrysburg, my midday retreats were at the Erie Street Market. I visited the Market this past Sunday. It was the first time I had been there in about two months. I was shocked at what I saw.

There is a lot of empty space in the Erie Street Market now. A year ago, the ends of the aisles and every corner had some kind of little business. It was cool. Now, it's about as empty as it was when I first visited the place, shortly after it opened. The Italian and Mediterranean places are still there. That's good. The guy who owns the Bronze Boar closed up shop in the Market.

The Market losing businesses hasn't been an overnight thing. I noticed businesses disappearing at the beginning of this year. It used to be, when a business left, another one filled its spot right away. I don't consider the Market a good place to open a shop now. Last year, I heard that the lease rates for space at the Erie Street Market were raised a lot, and I wonder if that's forced people out?

I think a cafe downtown Toledo, catering to the business crowd, might be okay. I love the cafe scene in downtown Ann Arbor.

Old ESM threads

The city is looking at bringing in new vendors, improving the food bay and parking, and enclosing the outdoor stalls so farmers can sell their goods year-round.

One of the most common questions that I hear is: what are you doing for revitalization? There are challenges still before us. Southwyck, Westgate, Promenade Park, the Steam Plant and The Erie Street Market. I know there is a lot of concern about the Erie Street Market.

Past administrations ignored expert advice on how to design and operate a successful market. As a result the market has always struggled. A few years ago, the market was nearly full of merchants. Unfortunately many of those merchants were not paying their rents. The City cannot and should not subsidize merchant rents. That is an irresponsible use of your tax dollars.

We've gone back to the experts to propose options for the market. By April they will release their recommendations. At that time, we as a community will have some tough decisions to make, as it could cost millions.

[Realtor David] Long said the draft recommendations call for moving the food market to the Market Street end of the building, and moving the Libbey store into one of the other bays. It was not clear how the Antiques Mall and Frog Town Square would be affected. The redesign and relocation costs will run into the millions of dollars - money the cash-strapped city does not have in its capital improvements budget. The city's proposed capital budget for 2004 allocates $250,000 for the market.

The Erie Street Market opened in the former Civic Auditorium in May, 1997, after the city allocated $2.7 million in federal Housing and Urban Development funds and $1.8 million in city funds to restore the deteriorating structure.

... the problems to be addressed in the food market include lighting, the perceived walking distance between the food bay and the farmers market stalls, parking, and the stairs that must be climbed to enter the food market. [Mr. Long] said the expense would be paid for at least partially by higher rents, which would be justified by the increased public patronage of the reorganized market.

Louis Messina is closing his Italian Deli at the Erie Street Market, under the cloud of a court battle, unpaid rent, and more. Messina says the City of Toledo hasn't provided proper utilities and security for the Erie Street Market. He says his business and other vendors have suffered as a result of the city's lack of support. Messina's involved in his own dispute with the market. He'll be in court next week facing eviction. The city tells NBC 24 that Messina hasn't paid his rent in months.

The former Frogtown Square area at the Erie Street Market is being converted into the Civic Center Promenade, that'll be used for special events and other happenings. Mayor Ford says local artwork and historical photos of Toledo will be used to give the space a nostalgic look. Mayor Ford also says the market can't be forever supported by city tax dollars, and at some point if the market continues to struggle, it needs to be turned over to private hands.

Bill [Carroll] was asked about the Erie Street Market. Bill said, "I think it needs some professional help." It needs someone with experience in developing markets like ESM. He said there have been some discussions about its future. Don't want to make it a flea market. Bill said there is no plan right now for ESM.

All vendors in the market bay of Toledo's Erie Street Market were told yesterday that they have two weeks to move out to make room for a major renovation project.

Could this be the legacy of the Erie Street Market?

Change the name from Erie Street Market to Erie Street Marketplace, evolving the concept from an outgrowth of the farmers market to an inclusive indoor shopping village. Possible tenants that come to mind immediately are the displaced business at Westgate Village Shopping Center, like The Happy Badger, The Vineyard and Culture Clash, as well as others in similar situations across the Toledo area.

The giant box stores are upon us and if small businesses are to survive, they will be wise to create an attraction bigger than their individual selves, advertise together and have events to attract consumers. Here's a perfect chance to create that destination place.

Change the flea market layout, currently a blurred line of racks, tables and merchandise where shopping customers fear being bumped, to an indoor village of shops. Set off each with their own doorway, window and an artistic storefront. Many of our own local artists could submit their ideas, working with the individual owners. It creates a unique specialty store concept.

Add to the town atmosphere by putting up fun street signs and a town announcement board. Place a concert park gazebo surrounded by plant life on the platform next to the stage for daily music, lecture lunches and open forums. Open up a children's center nearby with short-term babysitting available for a fee. Open up the walls or ceiling for more sunlight.

Recruit more restaurants and cafes and compatible business. Implement a solid sales plan and package to ensure theirs and the Marketplace's long-term success. Utilize the second bay for consistent night time entertainment in the form of jazz, symphony, rock 'n' roll and alternative concerts for all ages. Continue to attract exhibitions into the same space. Spread out interests. Practice the three tools of creative smart sales: educate, entertain and sell!