Pepper Place Market
The Market at Pepper Place is a public market organized by Sloss Real Estate at its Pepper Place development in Birmingham's Lakeview district.
The event was inaugurated by Sloss president Cathy Sloss Jones in 2000. It began as a seasonal farmers' market on Saturday mornings between late spring and early fall. In addition to produce, market vendors offer prepared foods, flower arrangements, potted plants, crafts and other merchandise. Weekly events include cooking demonstrations and musical performances. Jones' sister, Leigh Sloss-Corra, is the executive director of the market. Lisa Beasley has served as manager since 2009.
The idea of creating a weekly market for small farmers to connect with customers had been discussed for years. The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries had tried to promote a statewide network of produce markets with little success. Chefs Frank Stitt and Franklin Biggs had been discussing the need when they heard about Jones' interest in creating a market at Pepper Place. They began working together with Danny Jones of Dublin Farms in Clanton to plan the project.
As of 2007, approximately 6,000 people would attend each Saturday. By 2019 that had grown to more than 10,000 weekly customers. In 2021 Jones began planning to construct a permanent market hall and to expand the development with community garden plots and connections to the Jones Valley Trail. She commissioned MASS Design Group of Boston, Massachusetts to create a conceptual design for a 9,500-square-foot pavilion which would sit on axis with 29th Street South, north of 2nd Avenue South. The pavilion would provide shelter for a year-round market and for private events, and also be able to open up during the summer.
References
- Tommerlin, Michael (June 1, 2000) "Farmers' market, cafe to open at Pepper Place." The Birmingham News
- O'Hara, Jo Ellen (May 4, 2007) "Pepper Place Market opens next Saturday." The Birmingham News
- Carlton, Bob (May 14, 2010) "Alabama farmers and chefs return for 11th year at Pepper Place Saturday Market." The Birmingham News
- Estes, Cary (April 2020) "How Pepper Place grew a nationally acclaimed farmers market" Birmingham magazine
- Taylor, Drew (November 2, 2021) "Architecture firm featured on ’60 Minutes’ working on project at Birmingham’s Pepper Place." CBS42.com
- Thornton, William (November 3, 2021) "Architecture group featured on ‘60 Minutes’ helping Birmingham’s Pepper Place plan for future." The Birmingham News
External links
- Pepper Place Market website