CLEVELAND, Ohio — For the past 110 years, the West Side Market has been a staple in Cleveland, merging families with the area's finest foods.
"You have vendors from all over this city that come from various different cultures around the world, so having our young people be exposed to that is so critical," said Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb at the West Side Market's birthday celebration on Wednesday.
But as the city celebrates the Ohio City landmark's historic birthday, some vendors say they are still waiting for the needed improvements to get them caught up to this century.
"General maintenance. It's just been neglected for the past 20-30 years. There's no money put into it and when you have a building that's over 100 years old, you've got to keep up on these things. Things are breaking all the time," said Don Whitaker, president of the United West Side Market Tenants Association.
Whitaker says most vendors are excited about the city's new market revitalization plan that Mayor Justin Bibb announced earlier this year. Part of that plan includes the city turning management of the market over to a nonprofit, investing $12 million with a promise to upgrade the infrastructure.
"The new administration, I think, understand what they inherited," Whitaker adds. "Maybe they didn't understand it as much, a little sticker shock at first, but they're making efforts."
Whitaker states that vendors are cautiously optimistic and are waiting to see the work start as the city brings in consultants to develop a three-phase master plan.
"I think whether it's COVID, whether it's labor issues these days, that the upgrades and the revamping of the market has gone a lot slower than we like," says Francisco Estrada, owner of The Nature Uncut Company at the West Side Market.
Estrada believes the marketing and business approach needs to be addressed as well.
The plan shows the call for more diverse vendors to better represent the Cleveland of today.
"We just need to bring in more diversity into the market, fill the market up again so its not the same thing over and over and over again," Estrada said.
While many look forward to what the West Side Market of the future could look like.
"We're kind of just astounded, like we've never had a city mayor recognize the birthday in as long as I can remember, so that's kind of a special note there," Whitaker said.
Customers were also on hand Wednesday to celebrate the milestone of the West Side Market's 110th anniversary. "I know I can come here and get good quality food and I love it," says Renee Bailey. "It looks nice, it's clean, the food is good, and you can't get it in any other place."
According to the city, the nonprofit is slated to take over day-to-day management starting in the fall of 2023. In the meantime, the Bibb administration says it will continue to prioritize the West Side Market.
"This past budget cycle, the city put in $4.2 million into the Market and we anticipate to do more," says Jessica Trivisonno, the Bibb administration's senior strategist on the West Side Market. "People don't know the clock tower almost came down in the 1970s, so the vendors had to pull their money together to save it 50 years ago. Luckily, the city is able to invest and by the spring, we'll have a working clock."
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