Eastern Market

Eastern Market is a historic commercial and public market district located approximately one mile northeast of downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is the largest historic public market district in the United States, and the Eastern Market farmers' distribution center is the largest open-air flowerbed market in the United States. The district is bordered on the south by Gratiot Avenue, the north by Mack Avenue, the east by St. Aubin Street, and the west by Interstate 75 (the Chrysler Freeway). Operating continuously for well over a century, the market draws visitors from across southeastern Michigan and stands as one of Detroit's most enduring civic and cultural institutions.

Origins and Early History

Detroit's farmer's market was first opened in 1841 at Cadillac Square in the downtown area. In the beginning, the market was devoted to hay and wood sales. As the industrial sector grew and more workers moved to Detroit, space in downtown became increasingly valuable real estate, and it became clear that the existing market was not large enough to serve the rapidly growing urban population.

Before the market's establishment in the mid-19th century, the area served as a burial ground for early Detroit settlers. By 1869, the graves were relocated, and the site transitioned into a marketplace. The Russell Street Cemetery operated from 1834 to 1882 in what is now the Eastern Market neighborhood of Detroit. It was located along Russell Street roughly from modern-day Gratiot to Eliot, and was also known as the Second City Cemetery.

With the City of Detroit undergoing a period of tremendous growth, an informal market operated along Russell Street at High Street. The City's Central Market was unable to accommodate the growing population and a plan emerged to develop two markets further outside of downtown. Given the success of the existing informal market, the City formally designated Eastern Market in 1891. The new market required a permanent building to be constructed that would become known as Shed 1, bounded by Russell, Vernor, Market and High Streets. Similar in style to the historic Shed 2, with cast iron columns and an exposed wood frame roof, the structure contained more than 150 covered stalls.

Before the Industrial Revolution and the advent of automobiles, Detroit had three major produce markets — Eastern, Western and Cadillac Square — which all consolidated into the contemporary Eastern Market. A plethora of reasons contributed to the closing of the Western and Cadillac markets, including rats and the construction of freeways. Today, only Eastern Market survives; the western market was torn down in 1965 during the construction of a freeway interchange.

The Sheds: Architecture and Expansion

The market's iconic covered sheds are its most recognizable physical feature. The term "shed" was used back in the early 1800s when local farmers raised a shed to sell their produce for shelter against the elements; early temporary structures were flimsy. As the market was formalized and expanded, these structures grew more substantial and permanent.

Shed 2 was added in 1898, Shed 3 in 1922, Shed 4 in 1938, Shed 5 in 1939 (but rebuilt in 1981), and Shed 6 in 1966. Shed 1, completed in 1892, was demolished in 1967 to make space for the construction of a nearby freeway. Today, the five central market sheds occupy 14 acres of land, and the entire Eastern Market district spans 43 acres between Gratiot Avenue and Mack Avenue.

At the center of the 43-acre Eastern Market is a six-block public market. The surrounding area is home to 80 structures, the majority of which are storefront brick buildings, two to three stories tall, with flat roofs and late Victorian detailing. Today, Eastern Market's six sheds stand as living monuments to a legacy that continues to grow. Each shed, with its unique story and architectural evolution, contributes to the enduring charm and historical significance of this beloved Detroit landmark.

History Through the Twentieth Century

Eastern Market proved a reliable institution for Detroiters through the strains of economic crisis and wartime. During the Great Depression, Eastern Market offered Detroiters the chance to purchase food at a lower price than most stores because they could buy directly from producers. Farmers in the region also benefited at this time because the city residents' reliance on the market ensured they had a steady stream of customers. Similarly, during World War II food shortages, the market provided relief to consumers by allowing them to purchase more food than ration coupons allowed at brick-and-mortar shops. Even once this practice was restricted in 1944, the black market for ration coupons openly flourished in the district.

After the end of World War II, Eastern Market became an important hub for the wholesale food industry, as more food processors and wholesalers moved to the area. At the same time, large-scale food retailers became more prominent in the United States, which led to a decrease in individual consumer traffic at the market.

Detroit entered a period of economic decline during the second half of the twentieth century, which impacted the market. The city's shrinking population and the growing number of vacant lots in the Eastern Market neighborhood meant that running the market became costly for the city, with seemingly fewer and fewer socioeconomic benefits each year. By the late 1960s, Eastern Market was under threat of closure, but it made a comeback in the early 1970s when the addition of new murals — as well as the growing popular interest in the environmental movement — garnered newfound interest from the public. These initial murals were primarily paintings of produce and livestock, and over the years they have become Eastern Market logos.

The district was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The district's National Register boundary was increased in 2007.

The Eastern Market Corporation and Modern Management

In 2006, the entities known as the Eastern Market Merchants Association (EMMA) and the Eastern Market Advancement Coalition (EMAC) merged to form the Eastern Market Corporation, with a purpose of managing and promoting the market through a formal agreement with the City of Detroit. Using fundraised public and private funds, the Eastern Market Corporation has invested millions in capital improvements to the historic sheds; established robust programming in food access and entrepreneurship; advanced numerous economic development activities across the neighborhood; and modernized the public markets to now attract 30,000–40,000 visitors on a regular summer Saturday.

The Eastern Market Development Corporation (EMDC) is a community-based non-profit development entity established to ensure that the Eastern Market District remains an authentic and diverse place for all businesses, residents, and visitors. EMDC engages in commercial and mixed-use development projects — including mixed-income housing, retail, and industrial uses — in collaboration with private and philanthropic partners.

In 2019, a development plan envisioned the growth of the district, including rezoning for businesses and traffic flow. Development pressures have also brought challenges. Corporate development in the metropolitan area surrounding Eastern Market has pushed out "cultural touchstone" restaurants that are an essential arm of Eastern Market.

Markets, Events, and Culture

The outdoor shopping experience occurs every Saturday year-round and blends the market's rich history with the city's contemporary culture and grocers. Every Saturday the market transforms into a vibrant marketplace with hundreds of open-air stalls offering great selections of fruits, vegetables, fresh-cut flowers, locally produced specialty food products, and pasture and/or grass-fed meat. Additional market days include Detroit Eastern Market Tuesdays as well as a Sunday Street Market, both occurring seasonally from June through September. Tuesdays feature a sampling of the historic market experience, welcoming farmers, produce dealers, and prepared-food vendors, while also adding educational, wellness, and culinary events.

The Sunday following Mother's Day is Eastern Market Flower Day, and this is the market's busiest weekend of the year. Upwards of 200,000 people from all over the state and region flock to the market for this annual ushering in of spring, when 15 acres of space is covered with every possible variety of flowers, trees and shrubs.

More than 225 food and specialty businesses are located within the market district, selling all types of goods including produce, meat, spices, jams, poultry and even vintage clothing. The market and the adjacent district are rare finds in a global economy — a local food district with more than 500 independent vendors and merchants processing, wholesaling, and retailing food.

Public Art and the Murals in the Market

Since the early 1970s, Eastern Market has been known as a home for public art. From the installation of classic food-related murals in the 1970s to the classic images of fruits, vegetables, and livestock used in advertising posters, public art has always gone together with the vibrant character of the district.

An undertaking led by Inner State Gallery, the Murals in the Market festival invited renowned local and international artists to create large-scale murals throughout the Market District. Held in conjunction with the Detroit Month of Design every September, Eastern Market After Dark is a market-wide evening festival during which galleries, studios, retailers and workshops invite the public in for a behind-the-scenes look at the creative hub.

Art galleries, studios, and makerspaces have sprung up across the area, including The Red Bull House of Art, OmniCorp Detroit, Inner State Gallery, and others. Independent eateries, shops, and performance spaces, including Trinosophes and People's Records, have made their home along Gratiot Avenue. Light manufacturing and e-commerce retailers like 1xRun and Cyberoptix have also found their footing in the district's upper floors.