The market had a soft opening today.
At 11 a.m. on Thursday, Gov. Baker and Mayor Walsh will cut the ribbon to officially open the Boston Public Market in the Hanover Street building that houses the Registry of Motor Vehicles and the Haymarket T stop - bringing produce, honey, fish, meat and other products from the farms, fishermen and artisans of New England.
The 30,000-square foot space, which had been vacant since the building opened 12 years ago, will also offer all sorts of food - from pastrami sandwiches and matzah-ball soup to ice cream and donuts that can be consumed in a small seating area - or taken to go, of course.
Fresh flowers for sale.
"There's a lot of great energy with the other vendors," said Chris Kurth, owner of Siena Farms, a Sudbury farm with a CSA - and a store in the South End. "Everyone is excited to learn about each other and support each other, even competing products."
Quinn and her nuts.Beth Quinn, who owns Q's Nuts with her husband Brian, agreed. The two have a small kitchen and storefront in Somerville but said that they are hoping to reach many more people from their new spot at the Market.
For other vendors, a space at the Boston Public Market is a completely new experience. Chris Avery of Boston Smoked Fish Company said the Boston Public Market is the biggest development for their business to date.
Kim Denney, co-owner of Chestnut Farms said, "This is literally our first hour of retail ever." She and her husband Rich Jakshtis sell meat at farmers markets around the region seven days a week from May through October. They hope to settle into a more sustainable home in the Market.
Only New England beers and spirits in this market.
In addition to delivering fresh meats, produce and other local products, The Boston Public Market features Hopster's Ally, a mini-store showcasing locally made beers, wines and spirits. Unlike its sister store in Newton, this Hopster's Ally doesn't brew onsite. They will, however, sell growlers and host tastings.
At one entrance of the Boston Public Market is a large open KITCHEN space, where the Market will host programming through The Trustees of Reservations. Beginning on August 19, nearly 40 program collaborators will give lectures, run cooking classes, teach yoga and host running clubs.
"The KITCHEN at the Boston Public Market is one of the many components that truly set it apart from any other public market in the nation," said Boston Public market CEO Liz Morningstar.
The KITCHEN will feature a mixture of free, low-priced and competitively priced classes. "Our KITCHEN programming is designed to appeal to a broad base of people, ranging from seasoned foodies interested in picking up a new skill, to those looking for a healthy start to their day, to families looking for ideas on how to cook nutritious food on a budget," said Trustees' President and CEO Barbara Erickson.
After tomorrow's ribbon cutting ceremony, the Boston Public Market will be open every Wednesday through Sunday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
More photos
No more waiting until fall for fresh apple cider donuts.
You can buy greens grown in converted shipping containers in East Boston.
Taza Chocolate of Somerville has a booth.
Fresh cheese? Of course.
Watermelon fudge.
Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!
Ad:
Comments
oh yeah baby!
By bibliotequetress
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 9:19am
.
Eek
By anon
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 8:56pm
Watermelon Fudge????
KITCHEN at the Boston Public
By anonism
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 9:08pm
KITCHEN at the Boston Public Market: Will the city ban classes on knife skills?
Save a life: turn in your
By Clive
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 7:11am
Save a life: turn in your knife.
Only in this case it isn't a Orwellian UK disarmament scheme but a staunch bulwark against culinary crimes.
Leave the chefing up to professionals folks and support local restaurants!
One of their managers
By Felicity
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 9:53pm
told me they accept Snap, and will even match with Bounty Bucks, like they do at the Farmers Markets.
Impressive how people
By Kinopio
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 10:00pm
Impressive how people determined dozens of vendors aren't worthwhile even before the place has opened. World record judging time I'd say.
I'm sure the majority of the vendors there
By Brian Riccio
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 10:06pm
are lovely people who believe passionately in their overpriced goods. Now take a gander at the websites of those same vendors. How many of us can afford what they're selling?
It's your money, spend it how you want.
Credit where credit is due
By RickW
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 10:27pm
At least you stand up and defend your baseless prejudging. Second the post above, you seem like a miserable person who hates the world. Take a vacation, the relaxation could do you well.
I just did!
By Brian Riccio
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 10:40pm
Just got back from Maui! Got up at 2:30AM to drive two hours to watch the sun rise. Yes, I'm hating the world this week!
gee, forgot to be impressed
By jil
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 10:41am
Who goes to Hawaii in the summer when the weather in Boston is nice?
You're sure of a great many things
By lbb
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 8:26am
You're sure of a great many things, seemingly unimpeded by absence of evidence.
You keep saying that, but you won't shut up about it. Please feel free to shop where you will, but for the state of your own mental health, stop working yourself into a froth about what other people do.
Hey, thanks!
By Brian Riccio
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 8:50am
Where do I send in my 5 cents?
Your five cents
By lbb
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 10:12am
You've already offered your five cents many times in this thread. Too bad it's not backed by anything real.
It's an indoor, year round...
By apkmax
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 10:23pm
... farmers market people. No, it will not replace my weekly run to market basket, but it's awesome that I now have another farmers market type option on the way home from work that will be year round. Yes, it might be a bit touristy and pricy, but you live in Boston... ya know the place with the Freedom Trail, the Duck Boats, Sam Adams, etc. I welcome more options and competition for my donut dollars.
Overpriced or not...
By bosguy22
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 9:45am
It's about time the state has done something with that building. it only took 10+ years!
Does this bring the outdoor farmers's market people in?
By Michael Kerpan
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 11:03pm
Or are they still out on the other side of the building on Mondays and Wednesdays?
Duplicate
By Michael Kerpan
Wed, 07/29/2015 - 11:05pm
Delete
This is great news! I'm for
By bshep
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 5:17am
This is great news! I'm for anything in that area that offers something different than the same shopping you can find at any mall or "tourist" area in America (or elsewhere for that matter). I say this as a local, but imagine tourists will feel the same, at least, I know when I'm traveling I always appreciate seeing something unique and not an area full of chain stores. And of course no one's going to do their weekly shopping there, geesh, I don't think that was the idea at all.
Homeless at Haymarket
By anon
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 6:21am
A tale of two cities the Public Market which will serve the suburban hipsters and the subway below which is home to the homeless. If the subway homeless venture upstairs they will be evicted by the police and kicked out of the station.
Spare me
By Anti-morons
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 10:11am
Maybe we should try housing the homeless, even outside Boston for a change.
Oh, I see
By SwirlyGrrl
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 3:40pm
Because having an empty building there for so many years was really serving their needs?
It looks nice, and I hope
By Chris77
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 7:54am
It looks nice, and I hope they give out lots of free samples, but admittedly I don't pay a penny more for groceries than I have to(read: Market Basket and Hannaford). Wasn't Stop & Shop trying to open a store somewhere near the Bulfinch Triangle?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/henrymiller/2015/07/29...
Basic arithmetic
By lbb
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 12:34pm
IHNC, but if they do, why would you expect their prices not to reflect city rents? Why would you expect cheap groceries to magically appear in a high-rent area? People seem to think there's something magical about supermarket chains, but they're not in it for charity and there's a reason why there aren't any mainstream chain supermarkets downtown.
Please refer to the building as Parcel 7
By Gary C
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 8:16am
Every story about this place, since it was just a glimmer of an idea has hedged about calling this Parcel 7. That is the name of the garage that sits above it and what it is actually called.
In fact we have a song that celebrates the cheap prices to park and the smell of pee as you descend the stairs:
"You're in (urine) heaven,
it's parcel 7,
The Parcel 7 garage!"
Thank you.
the BIG E
By Anon
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 9:39am
So is this similar to the Massachusetts house at the BIG E?
Question re: old Haymarket staying open?
By Neighbor2
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 11:16am
Is the cheap HayMarket also staying open? It's generally packed on weekends with people who are looking for cheap fruit/veg, as opposed to artisinal honey and salsa. Will it be staying open too?
Yes
By cybah
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 11:25am
It will remain.
Most likley
By Neal
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 11:35am
Most of what is sold at Haymarket on Friday and Saturday is the stuff that the supermarkets and bodegas didn't buy during the week and isn't particularly fresh and probably not local. As long as the vendors at the New England Produce Market have to firesale their unsold goods at the end of the week to make room for the new produce that comes in on Sunday and Monday, the Friday and Saturday Haymarket will probably take place.
Thanks. Helpful background/addition
By Neighbor2
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 12:56pm
... to the discussion about the 'Yuppie" market upstairs.
Artisanal Honey
By anon
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 2:05pm
Will it just be artisanal honey? I don’t need honey crafted by artisan bees, just basic raw no nonsense honey, and not something so refined it probably isn’t even technically honey, even if it is in a bear shaped container.
A test to determine over-priced vs normal
By Neighbor2
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 1:38pm
I just thought of a test to determine if this market is selling over-priced yuppie stuff, or just natural items for the common family.
Although I know it's trendy to carry your own refillable* water bottle, sometimes you forget and need to buy a bottle of water. A bottle of plain ol' water retails at a supermarket for around $0.25, and at hot-dog stands or convenience stores for say, $1.25.
Fenway Park and other places trying to rip you off sell them for $3.50 or $4.
Therefore, my test will be the water-bottle test. If a cold 16oz bottle of water is frequently sold for under $1.50 at this market, then it's legit. If it's $2 or more, then it's a yuppie tourist trap.
Issue solved. Adam can close the thread now. :-)
* I'm also curious if this place has water fountains so I can refill my bottles?
water fountains
By Saul
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 1:41pm
Yes, right when you walk in. Bathrooms too, though I saw they had a keypad on the doors.
...trendy???
By lbb
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 2:17pm
So, "trendy" now means "people thought of doing a sensible thing, and I'm not going to do it because other people are doing it, and I'm just an againsty SOB"?
It's ok to not like things, but...
Or
By Neighbor2
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 3:33pm
Or.....
Maybe after spending $2 on something you can get out of a tap
By Sally
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 5:05pm
then you'll remember.
I went in there
By cybah
Thu, 07/30/2015 - 6:36pm
I went in here around 4pm because I had a few minutes to kill before a phone call I had to take.
Not too bad. Lots of variety of things. Prices were OK.. yeah pricey but it's all local, hand made stuff. I didn't have a lot of time, but from what I saw the produce wasn't that bad priced. I saw tomatoes for 3 bucks a lb. Not too bad (considering I'm paying 1.99 for tomatoes on the vine at the basket). I'd pay that for locally sourced food.
The space itself is interesting. It's actually alot larger in there than I expected. They had a few 'coming soon' spaces but it looked like 'work in progress'. The cookbook wall was an interesting concept but I question how long that will last. (its a 'take a cookbook, give a cookbook' kinda wall thing)
I really wanted an apple donut, but I didn't have any cash, nor really wanted to wait in line to get one. But I'll stop on my way home tomorrow when I have a bit more time to get one (and to walk around some)
Pages