CLEVELAND — After 112 years as a Cleveland landmark, the historic West Side Market is embracing a new way of doing things. Wednesday marked the first official day of a nonprofit running day-to-day operations.
The market itself has been a mainstay at West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue for generations.
“It is world class. It’s been here forever and there’s nothing quite like it,” said
Kevin Bjerre, an employee at Kate’s Fish.
Vera’s Bakery owner Beth Bowman added, “There’s a lot of history here, a lot of transactions, a lot of community here. A lot of people have been coming here since they were kids. Even if they move away, they come back and bring their families.”
Bowman has owned the stand full of bread and pastries since 2017 and had been providing baked goods to the previous owner who occupied the stall for 40 years.
She said for all the market’s charm, she and other vendors have been frustrated by the aging infrastructure.
“Just basically consistently and making sure that things that need to be addressed are addressed,” Bowman said.
“It’s arguable that I showed up at maybe the darkest hour. I think there was one elevator working, morale was at an all-time low, there were a lot of power outages,” Bjerre said of his arrival. “But in my year and a half here I have only seen improvement.”
The market has been transitioning from a city-owned and operated public market to one managed by a nonprofit.
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“How do we make the West Side Market strong for the next century?” said Rosemary Mudry, the executive director for Cleveland Public Market Corporation (CPMC).
Mudry took the helm of the new nonprofit at the beginning of the year. She explained the organization will have full-time on-site staff and be able to tap into new funding sources the city would not have access to.
“A nonprofit can be both more nimble on a day-to-day operating basis, but it also has the ability to raise capital and create more sustainable business models that a city is just not really designed to do,” she said.
One major priority will be upgrading the aging market while preserving its historic charm. Recommendations released by CPMC in June 2023 included public-facing improvements like more seating, public gathering spaces and a food hall with a bar.
Watch the announcement of plans here:
Mudry said a large chunk of the estimated costs would go toward infrastructure upgrades. Long-neglected maintenance will necessitate an overhaul of the building’s plumbing, electricity, roof and HVAC.
“If there’s anything in Cleveland worth dumping our funds into, it’s the West Side Market,” said Bjerre. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a chock-full market of people really putting their best foot forward. And I just can’t wait to see that come back.”
Some customers said they love the market as it is and hope any improvements don’t detract from the building’s character.
“It’s the gem of the community. It’s a wonderful place,” said customer Wiley Wolfe.
Pam Wolfe added, “I wouldn’t change anything either. It’s charming the way it is.”
Vendors told News 5 Wednesday they were optimistic that the change in management will help streamline improvements.
“If we cut out some of the red tape, maybe we can get some stuff done,” Bowman said. “We put our time in here. We would like them to do the same.”
As long as vendors are supported and the building is cared for, she believes the community will continue patronizing the landmark establishment.
“I think it’s important to the city of Cleveland, it’s important to this community and the people who live here and work here and shop here,” she said. “This place supports a lot of families, a lot of generational businesses and we should support that.”
Mudry said improvements will begin with a deep clean of the building in the coming months. The city has already pledged $20 million towards what is estimated to be a $50-$60 million improvement project. CPMC is also pursuing tax credits, state and federal dollars, as well as private donations to reach the rest of its goal.
