Dear North Market Shopper,

It’s that time of year again. Our Farmers Market is humming and this season our offerings will be better than ever. 

This year, eating locally, supporting local businesses and local economies has never been more meaningful.  

For more than 130 years North Market has been a hub of local food and local businesses all supporting a local economy.   And today things aren’t much different. 

Every Saturday from now until late October local growers will bring their finest offerings picked fresh from the field.  There’s nothing fresher, better tasting, more nutritious or more local anywhere.

In the Market House our community of 33 locally owned and operated businesses thrive with the highest quality ingredients and prepared selections.  Shop the Market and you’ll find plenty of local food provided by local businesses supporting our local economy.

 It must be a good formula; we’ve been at it since 1876.

 Hope to see you at the Market.

 Dave Wible

PS.  Don’t miss our newest merchant and his fabulous waffles and crepes.  Jean-François Flechet and his new business, Taste of Belgium is located at the south end of the Market between Omega Artisan Baking and Pam’s Popcorn.

Dear North Market Shoppers,

I had the opportunity to speak at a conference in Greenville hosted by Heritage Ohio.  The subject of the gathering was, “Nourishing Downtown, Connecting Local Foods to Downtowns.” 

Every time you have to give a talk it causes you to slow down and do a little research about the topic.  It also gives you the opportunity to think a little more clearly about why exactly the hosts have asked you to speak.

The meeting was attended by downtown planners, chamber leaders, farmers market organizers and main street managers from all over the state.

While it’s always great to talk about the Market and our role in the community, it was also inspiring to see such widespread support and understanding of “local.”  It’s no longer a “movement,” it’s really become mainstream.

With the challenges in our economy, I think it’s become easy for everyone to see that bigger is not always better.  It’s tough to watch brand new big box retailers succumb to the economy and leave in their wake hundreds of thousands of square feet of empty retail space that has no hope of being reclaimed. 

With this in mind it seems that people are moving back to things that inspire romance, memory and trust versus things that are fast, convenient and cheap.  When you buy locally you support local economies, local families and local businesses.  That support translates into products and services in which you can trust. 

When you support places like North Market you’re supporting people like, Jeni, Annemarie, Amy, Pam, Cheese Mike, David, Cheryl and The Fish Guys.  And what you get in return are products that are second to none.  The best of the best.

In just a few weeks our growers will start to arrive on Saturday mornings with fresh produce that they grow with their own hands.  There’s nothing better in this world than fresh grown produce…there’s nothing more local, either.

The local movement is alive and strong here at the North Market.  We’ve been doing it for 133 years.  It’s nice to know we’re about 130 years ahead of the trend.

See you at the Market.

Dave 

Last week we launched our new website…it’s a brave new world here at North Market.

Our website reflects our new communications strategy to feature our merchants in an up close and personal way.  One of our lines, “35 Distinct Personalities, 1 Incredible Place,” really captures the essence of the Market. 

As I have mentioned often times before, at North Market you buy baked goods from Amy, ice cream from Jeni, cheese from Mike, meats from David and Cheryl, poultry from Annemarie and Jerry.  It’s all very personal and our community of unique personalities really differentiates the Market from traditional, contemporary buying experiences.

Visit our new website at www.northmarket.com where you can learn more about every merchant here at the Market.  You can also keep up to date on events and activities, purchase gift certificates and read posts from our blog.

Speaking of blogging, something that I’m just learning to do, we’ll also be Twittering (@NorthMarket), enhancing our Facebook presence and we’re building a nice file of photos on Flickr.

We’re all hoping that you love our new website and we’re always open for comments along the way.  So now you can shop our site as well as our Market…we hope both experiences are equally great.

Every year, Valentine’s Day falls on the 14^th of February. Here are 14 great ideas to make your Valentine’s Day, fresh, local and romantic.

1. Say it with flowers. Market Blooms has the finest and freshest in town. From roses by the dozen to creative bouquets, stop by to see Marty or Bob for a “consultation.” Pressed for time? Call 228-7760 and place an order.
2. Chocolate is always a sure bet, fine chocolates are even better! Dan Cooper at Pure Imagination is one of our city’s finest chocolatiers. Hand-dipped, hand- made…there is a difference.
3. Champagne and sparkling wine. Dave Bihn at Grapes of Mirth will fix you up with the right bottle at the right price.
4. Fresh seafood. Oysters and live lobster are especially festive and romantic. Let The Fish Guys set you up with the highest quality, freshest seafood in town.
5. A little bauble perhaps? Browse the shelves of Better Earth’s Beyond Beads for a special treasure that will be remembered long after Valentine’s Day.
6. Spice up your day with some fiery foods from CaJohn’s Flavor and Fire. Choose from a wide selection of hot sauces and salsas that make great gifts.
7. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams has a bouquet of special handmade ice creams for you and your sweetheart. Check out their website at www.jenisicecreams.com to ship these great treats anywhere in the country.
8. Rich, chocolaty Omega Cakes are a favorite of mine. Amy Lozier at Omega Artisan Baking is crafting any number of handmade baked goods that are sure to please your Valentine’s Day sweetie.
9. Let Pastaria prepare your entire Valentine’s Day dinner. Chef Rocco Valentino has created an elegant take-home four course meal for two. Simply order your dinners, pick them up and you are ready for a truly romantic meal Chez Vous. Call 805-4976 to order. See the menu: http://www.northmarket.com/blog/?p=188
10. Don’t forget the kids. The Candy Shack has an enormous selection of old-fashioned candies to mix and match. Come in and create your own bag of goodies that will make your kids feel extra special.
11. Mozart’s has a wide selection of European pastries from which to choose. You can’t go wrong with a box of beautiful handmade petit ‘fours.
12. A loaf of bread, a jug of wine. You’ve got a great bottle of wine from Grapes of Mirth, and a loaf of crusty bread from Omega Artisan Baking. Now you’re off to see Mike Kast at Curds & Whey for a fantastic piece of cheese. He has nearly 400 to choose from. Don’t forget some of his great olives, also.
13. Looking for a gift for your foodie/sweetie? We have great cookware and serving ware at North Market Cookware and The Source.
14. Is this your idea of the perfect romantic evening? You procure the very finest ingredients to prepare an absolutely fabulous meal for your sweetheart. Here at North Market we have it all for you. Great produce, meats, seafood, poultry, baked goods…the very finest ingredients for the most romantic meal ever. All here at you community public market.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your sweetheart. Hope to see you at the Market. We’ll help you make this year’s day the most special ever.

Happy New Year!

As we close out the past year and look to the “New,” we’re always compelled
to come up with some resolutions for the upcoming year.

Here are 5 North Market resolutions to think about:

1. Eat Fresh. Build your meals around fresh sensible portions of protein.
Daily doses of fresh seafood, poultry and red meat are in abundant supply
here at the Market. Try something new and interesting. Ask our merchants
what’s great and ask them how to prepare it.

2. Eat More Fresh Vegetables and Fruits. The Greener Grocer is always
offering fresh, local and unique produce. The staff is well versed in
what’s the freshest and can offer interesting preparation techniques.

3. Spend Quality Time With Friends and Family. Great food brings us all a
bit closer together. Prepare a great meal with great ingredients from the
Market. Have fun, try something new. We offer a world of professional
advice to turn great raw materials into a spectacular gathering.

4. Support Local Businesses and Local Economies. There is no question that
we are in for a challenging time and while the news is not always uplifting,
the source of civic pride one gets by shopping their public market is
undeniable. Supporting our North Market merchants has many rewards. The
absolute finest foodstuffs are being prepared and offered daily by our
community of local food artisans. When you shop the Market you support
local, family-owned businesses and you wind-up with a shopping basket of the
best ingredients Columbus has to offer.

5. Treat Yourself to Small Pleasures. A pint of Jeni’s Ice Cream in your
freezer can be the key to a simple delightful pleasure. Try new and
inventive flavors. Savor a simple scoop of ice cream, sorbet or yogurt.
Fresh and delicious…it’s some of the finest ice cream made in America and
you can have it everyday right in your freezer

There you have it…FIVE New Year’s Resolutions…all easy to achieve…all
made possible by your public market…North Market.

Happy New Year.

Dave Wible
Executive Director

At North Market we’re all about local: going local, eating local, acting local, supporting local. It’s simply the right thing to do. With some of the uncertainty we all might be facing, it makes even more sense.

First and foremost, eating local makes lots of sense. It’s fresher, healthier and has far less impact on our environment. It also supports local businesses, local economies and provides the opportunity for our community to grow and become more sustainable.

When we act locally, we act responsibly for or our families, our community and our environment. This holiday season, as every holiday season, North Market is all about local. (more…)