Dear North Market Shopper,

It’s a new year and here we go. I’ve got “Ten Thoughts for the New Year,” and ten ways to take advantage of this landmark on 59 Spruce Street:

1. Eat Fresher. Fresh food tastes better. We have an amazing array of the freshest, finest food anywhere in Columbus. Fresh, local food simply tastes better. Way better.

2. Learn more about craft brewing. Craft beer is the new wine and one of fastest growing beverage segments in the category. Jen and Collin at The Barrel and Bottle are experts in the field. They can get you started on a fun, new journey.

3. Get to know your butcher. David and Cheryl. Annmarie and Jerry. Doug, Angelo and Shawn. Red meat. Poultry and Game. Seafood. Our food comes with expert advice. Free of charge!

4. Try something new. Break your routine and try something new. Clever Crow Pizza, perhaps? Consistently rated one of the best in town. Dine-in or take and bake. True Belgian Liege-style waffles at Taste of Belgium will change the way you think about waffles…forever.

5. Tune-up your spice cabinet. I’m guessing about half of the spices in your cabinet might be classified as “antiques.” Throw them out. They’ve lost their taste and character. Slowly, but surely build a new spice cabinet with the help of Ben and Cindy at North Market Spices.

6. Buy a new kitchen gadget. On your next trip to the Market spend five minutes in North Market Cookware. Take home a new gadget that a) you never knew existed and b) will make your life in the kitchen more fun and much easier.

7. Turn up the heat. Bring home one of Cajohn’s award winning hot sauces. Put it on eggs, sandwiches, entrees. Keep it on the counter and put it on whatever you want. John “Cajohn” Hard is one of the country’s most highly awarded hot sauce/salsa producers. One of the best. Right here in North Market.

8. Change your routine (and create a new one). Every Saturday morning we host groups of shoppers who gather upstairs for some social time. It is part of their routine, a ritual, you might say. They’re here EVERY Saturday to “catch-up.” Use the Market to connect with your friends. A great cup of coffee from A Touch of Earth, an Omega Artisan Baking Cinnamon roll and a little re-connecting. What could be better?

9. Get out your calendar. Once again, this year, we’ll have a schedule full of festivals and events celebrating local foods, beverages and crafts. Get them on your calendar and take advantage of the fun, great food and energy that we provide for our community.

10. Celebrate your Market! Just recently, North Market was named as one of our city’s top cultural icons. And while there are times that we might take this 136-year-old institution for granted, I’m here to tell you that North Market is one of the country’s finest public markets. This is truly a special place.

There you go. Ten Thoughts for the New Year. Give ‘em a try. You won’t be disappointed. Promise.

Sincerely,

Dave

Dear North Market Shopper,

Without question, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. It’s a time when those who are closest come together for a true sharing of the spirit.

We celebrate with family and friends, those who are often closest to us.

With the feast as a focus, why not let our “family,” the family of North Market merchants make your Thanksgiving the best ever?

Jen and Collin at The Barrel and Bottle have the perfect craft beers and holiday wines.

Annemarie and Jerry at North Market Poultry and Game offer fresh free-range turkey, the best ever.

Cindy and Ben at North Market Spices have a wide array of special seasonings and a brining blend that can take your meal to the next level.

Colleen and Michael at The Greener Grocer offer fresh, local produce for the greatest complementary side dishes.

“Cheese-Mike” offers Columbus the best selection of the finest cheeses anywhere at Curds & Whey.

Doug, Angelo and Shawn at The Fish Guys have plenty of fresh oysters for dressing.

Marty and Bob from Market Blooms will make sure that your holiday table is magnificent in every way.

Baked goods from Gay and Luann at Expressly Market Bakery & Bistro and Amy at Omega Artisan Baking are handmade and artisan baked.

Ice Cream from Jeni and her new Sublime Holiday Collection add a flavorful conclusion to a festive gathering.

We’ve said it all along and it’s never been more important, at North Market you buy from people not a store. We serve up high-quality, fresh, local food that comes with a generous helping of free and expert advice.

For those who want Thanksgiving to be a memorable gathering of family and friends, shop North Market.

Sincerely,

David Wible
Executive Director

While other Farmers’ Markets in town are beginning to wind down, we’re still going strong. And this recent spate of warm weather has provided an extra boost to our growers.

This season started a little late with a cool and rainy Spring, but as the summer has progressed growing conditions have been ideal. So, don’t be surprised when you see some customarily summer produce along with the more traditional Fall offerings.

Additionally, as we don’t have an established end date for our Farmers’ Market, this season you can most likely expect freshly picked produce late into October and possibly into November.

As the holiday season approaches it’s time to start thinking about those special occasions and festive gatherings. It’s never too early to start planning and “shopping” the Market for creative ideas. Every year, we’re the focal point for the finest and freshest local ingredients. This year will be no different.

Every merchant in every corner of our Market offers something to make your holidays special. From fresh, free range turkey, to unique cheeses and specialty baked goods, North Market should be on your holiday shopping list.

This season we have some newer merchants that can make your holiday planning even more special. Jen and Collin at The Barrel and Bottle have a tremendous selection of craft beers and wines. Seasonal craft beers are hotter than ever and The Barrel and Bottle are specialists in this area. Cindy and Ben at North Market Spices have created a shop that has become a trusted source for local restaurant chefs and adventuresome foodies, as well. They have a complete selection of conventional and unusual seasonings that are served up with a large helping of expert advice. Jeni’s, of course, will have their seasonal flavors and a best-selling cookbook for holiday giving.

As we move from season to season, the Market is always in style. That’s what happens when you focus on fresh, local and seasonal tastes.

It’s never too early to start thinking about the holidays and at North Market we always make them special.

Hope to see you at the Market,

Dave Wible

Dear North Market Shopper,

I read an interesting story the other day about shopping at markets such as ours. The story talked about the consumer’s experience when they shopped at a grocery store versus a public market/farmers market.

Shoppers who shop at their local grocery, it said, are simply attempting to meet a need for food stuffs and products. On the other hand, shoppers who patronize places like North Market “are part of the process.”

What does it all mean? Those who shop at North Market are participating in a community building activity. They are supporting local businesses, they are assisting local economies and they are contributing to a greater good. In a recent survey more than 85% of our shoppers said that shopping at North Market adds value to our community.

At North Market you are a participant in the process. You select each loaf of bread, fresh tomato, hunk of cheese, filet of fish and fresh cut flower. Your relationship with your grower or merchant is built on trust. You know them and they know you. It’s their responsibility to make sure your purchase is just right.

The benefit? The freshest, tastiest, highest quality local food in Columbus. Our food tastes better, plain and simple.

So, your support of your local public market has many benefits. By shopping at North Market you insure that a tradition dating back to 1876 continues. The community benefits by your support of the many local businesses and family farms that rely on your patronage. There’s a face on your food, it has a certain and special provenance.

Thanks for not only being a shopper, but part of the process. Our close connection has kept us a vibrant and prosperous Columbus landmark for more than 135 years.

See you at the Market.

David Wible

Dear North Market Shoppers,This Market is a wonderful community of 35 diverse businesses that create a singularly unique and high quality shopping experience.

Oftentimes, it’s only a handful of businesses that get a majority of the credit and coverage, but it’s the entire community that makes us great.

Take for instance, Mozart’s North Market Bakery. Mozart’s is a true European pastry shop with a long-standing tenure in both Clintonville and the North Market. Owner, Anand Saha, is not only a great baker, but he’s a committed community and neighborhood partner. The bakery consistently garners recognition in the local media and is often a “Best of” winner in many polls. Every day, the cases at Mozart’s are full of gorgeous pastries and we’ve just learned that they have added handmade ice cream to their lineup. If you’ve never given them a try, it’s time you did.

Everyone needs a great cup of coffee and A Touch of Earth delivers on a daily basis. Whether it’s the smiling face of one of our longest tenured owners, Ann Leonard or the most capable talents of her lead barista, Shawn, A Touch of Earth delivers an honest, perfectly brewed cup of coffee every day. Located smack dab in the middle of the market house, A Touch of Earth is the real heartbeat of the Market.

Foodies need their tools and North Market has two wonderful stops to get EVERYTHING you need to prepare and serve the perfect meal. North Market Cookware can outfit your kitchen with All-Clad or Le Creuset equipment and every gadget tool or implement under the sun. To serve it up just right, The Source by Wasserstrom has a broad selection of restaurant quality servingware for any occasion.

And on the food side, there is a fast growing fan base for the barbecue at Holy Smoke BBQ. Perhaps the most delicious looking displays in the Market, present some classic smokehouse goodness. A broad selection of daily offerings makes the decision a tough, but tasty choice.

These are a few of the businesses that might not always get the full attention of our shoppers, but next time you are in, make it a point to check them out. You’ll be surprised…pleasantly…I promise.

Dave Wible

Dear North Market Shopper,

As the days grow warmer and longer, it’s Farmers Market time!

Back in the ‘80’s we were one of the pioneers in the Farmers Market trade. The old Quonset Hut was home to some of our community’s first growers selling their fruits and vegetables directly to their customers on Saturday mornings.

Since then, the growth in Farmers Markets has been vigorous. The Columbus metropolitan area is now home to more than 2 dozen markets. There is now, more opportunity than ever to shop at a Farmers Market.

As demand has grown and new markets have opened, it is more important than ever to know your grower.

Every participant in the North Market Farmers Market sells what they grow. That may seem logical, intuitive, obvious, and you might even say, what’s the big deal? The big deal is that at other places the person you buy from may not have been the person that grew your food.

Why is that important? It is clear that when a shopper buys at a Farmers Market, there is an implied message that the seller has grown the goods. When a shopper buys at a Farmers Market they are looking for a bond with their grower. They want to know what was grown, how it was grown and what is its’ provenance. It’s important to our shoppers.

As market managers we want our shoppers to know that we operate a market with integrity and that you can buy with confidence. We’re also providing our shoppers the very best opportunity to make informed decisions about their food sources.

Why is this and issue and why are we bringing it up? Quite simply as Farmers Markets grow, not everything sold is grown by the seller. It may be purchased at wholesale, at an auction, or from other sources…not grown by the seller.

Every grower at North Market signs a pledge that they will sell what they grow. We promise. It may be subtle, but it’s awfully important when you sell at a Farmers Market.

From now until late October, we hope to see you every Saturday morning at our Farmers Market. Thanks for shopping.

David Wible

Dear North Market Shoppers,

On March 24th Columbus Alive published their annual “Best of Columbus” issue. It’s a compilation of results from nearly 17,000 online voters and covers a wide array of Columbus interests and attractions.Deep into the story on page 48, next to the fold was the winner of the “BEST LOCAL FOOD MARKET” category. We’re proud to say that when the votes were cast, Columbus rated us the best.Here are just a few of the comments and quotes from the story:

“…one of the first places proud Columbusites take their visiting foodie friends to impress them with our city’s shopping and culinary sophistication.”

“…world-class ice creams (Jeni’s), breads (Omega), cheeses (Curds & Whey)”

“…this wonderful place has it all.”

Well, we are “proud” of our Market and we hope our offerings and place in the community make you proud, too. This is truly a tremendous public market.

We are “world-class.” Our choices from Jeni’s Ice Creams to the pork, beef and lamb raised on the farm of Bluescreek owners, David and Cheryl Smith are as fine and high quality as you’ll find anywhere.

We are “wonderful.” From our community of merchants and growers who deliver personal service, passion and expertise; to our energizing Market atmosphere; to the lofty role we play in our city’s history, the North Market is a wonderful place.

It’s always nice to be recognized by your community and we’re thrilled that we’re the Best Local Food Market in Columbus. Thanks to those of you who voted for us and thanks to those of you who visit us on a regular basis.

We’ll work hard to earn our role as the best and we look forward to seeing you on your next shopping trip.

Thanks,

David Wible
Executive Director

Dear North Market Shopper,In this day and age we’re all trying to do a better job of understanding our food. Where does it come from? How was it produced? Is it safe? And sustainable?

When you shop at North Market, you get the opportunity to understand your food and it comes free of charge. We call it expertise.

It comes in the form of Bluescreek Farm Meats where David and Cheryl Smith not only butcher their meat, they raise it as well on their farm in Marysville.

Doug, Angelo and Shawn at The Fish Guys know about almost every fish they sell. Where it’s from, how it’s caught, how it’s best prepared. There’s a reason they have the best fresh seafood business in town.

Mike Kast at Curds and Whey is known as, “Cheese Mike” for one reason and one reason, only. He’s our city’s foremost expert on cheese and his selection is hard to beat.

Gary Robinette had a national reputation for his pizza BEFORE he even opened his business in the North Market. It’s remarkable.

Columbus Monthly calls Jeni Britton-Bauer, Amy Lozier, Hubert Wilamoski, Jerry Bullock and Annemarie Wong (and Mike Kast!) “world class.”

Michael Jones isn’t just running a produce stand, he’s leading a local revolution promoting healthy food access and local economies.

In just a few weeks our great community of growers begins another season with us. More than 30 farmers bringing you fruits and vegetables, that they grew on their farm. Nothing is more local and nothing tastes better or is more nutritious.

Our expertise runs deep because at North Market your relationship with your food goes deeper than most traditional grocery stores. A trip to the Market earns you the opportunity to meet those individuals whose passion for food makes this one of our country’s finest public markets.

Know your food, know your merchant, know your Market.

Thanks for your continued patronage.

Sincerely,

David Wible, Executive Director

Dear North Market Shoppers,

As we look to 2011, I believe that the Market is in the best shape ever.

The growing awareness to support local businesses and local economies coupled with the movement to eat locally puts North Market in the “sweet spot” of emerging trends.

In late 2010, we added two exciting new businesses and as we open 2011 we have two more that are equally great.

North Market Spices and their broad selection of unique spices and spice blends has been an instant hit. With a knowledgeable staff, they are the perfect complement to the terrific selection of fresh ingredients the Market has to offer.

The Barrel and Bottle provides our shoppers with a wide selection of wine and an ever increasing choice of craft beers. New owners Collin Castore and Jen Burton have delivered a classy shop with an expert point of view on this important Market segment.

This January Clever Crow artisan pizza has opened to rave reviews. From their special cornmeal/sourdough crust to their handmade sausages and cured meats, it’s way more than pizza. Brooke and Gary have taken the craft and elevated it to art. Don’t miss them next time you’re here.

And last, but not least, brezel opens this March with handmade pretzels. New owners Maria Bataglia-Gentile and Brittany Baum have grown slowly, but surely earning a solid following at local markets here in town. Now, they’re making the jump to North Market and our shoppers will be big winners.

These four new businesses are perfect examples of why North Market is recognized as the premier destination for great ingredients, local businesses and artisan purveyors. They add even greater strength to the finest community of food businesses in town.

As the Market continues to evolve, these four new businesses give us reason for even greater celebration. Stop by soon and check us out. We know you’ll be even more impressed.

Sincerely,

Dave Wible
Executive Director

Dear North Market Shopper,

When people talk about their visit to the Market they often talk in sensory terms. The “sights, sounds, tastes and smells” of the Market all contribute to a total sensory experience. And we know that coming to North Market is not just a shopping occasion, it’s a full-on experience.

One of our goals is to enhance the Market experience and do it in a way that is both meaningful to our shoppers and supportive of the mission to promote local food and local businesses.

We have some great activities lined-up in the next few weeks that will be fun, educational and most of all delicious:

September 24 & 25 Columbus Microbrew Festival

It’s a celebration of the booming interest in locally-brewed craft beers. Come taste the work of our local craft brewers in this two-day festival.

September 29 Local Brews, Booze and Foods

It’s our best kept secret. This year we quietly started a little after work gathering on our porch. Shoppers were treated to some great Columbus Brewing Company beers and our version of street food creations. This is our last gathering of the year. We’ve invited new local distillery Middle West Spirits to join the fun. Stop by and give it a try.

October 2 Harvest Festival and Market to Market Ride

In celebration of Local Foods Week we host our annual Harvest Festival that features the late season bounty of our Farmers Market…AND what has become one of the fastest growing cycling events in the City. In a little more than a year, the Market to Market ride has attracted hundreds of cyclists who love and support the local foods movement.

The Dispatch Kitchen

Our partnership with WBNS-10TV and the Columbus Dispatch provides the Market with a fun and educational space. Food editor and James Beard Award winner, Robin Davis leads weekly cooking demonstrations with our city’s finest chefs. The Dispatch Kitchen is also hopping with special events such as CupcakeCampColumbus which is scheduled for October 10.

The Market is more than a place to shop for the greatest artisan, local and international foods. It’s a place where we celebrate, we educate and we have a little fun.

It doesn’t take a special event to make you visit an “experience.” It’s our community of 35 business owners, our unique personality and an unforgettable array of the best food in town.

Dave Wible