Friday, February 12, 2016

Remember When Union Market Looked Like This?

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Ok. Maybe it's not exactly the Union Market (1309 5th Street) we know and love today, but here are a few old photos of the D.C. Farmers Market that used to occupy the the building now home to Union Market. These are photos that I shot in October of 2006.

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There was nary a wedge of fancy cheese nor a porkstrami in sight, but you could load up on bulk meat specials or double yolk eggs. The eggs came from a farmer couple who used to make the drive from Pennsylvania. They also sold homemade butter and cheese, as well as sassafras tea and jars of chow-chow.

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You could definitely bargain with some vendors.
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The seafood selection left much to be desired.
Pig's Head: It's What's for Dinner
The prices weren't always the best, but you could score cuts you wouldn't find at the Giant or Safeway. 

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The set up wasn't open like it is now. It was largely walled off with all these tiny rooms out of which vendors might sell boxes of serial, or tube socks. 
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You had to borrow a key from a vendor if you wanted to use the bathroom. IMG_2724 
Looking back through these photos I can't help but think of a lot of the markets I've visited in Baltimore. I'm not sure if I have any photos showing this, but there were definitely stands selling food intended to be consumed immediately.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like the old Union Market better...

dcaghchik said...

I miss the Florida Market - especially the butchers.

Anonymous said...

It's not even a market anymore. Just high end specialty shops with overpriced junk.

poo said...

i miss the flea market. that thing filled out my antique tool collection. seriously!

Anonymous said...

flea market ruled! anyone know any comparable flea market?

Anonymous said...

Some of that meat in those photos should have been refrigerated...

inked said...

3:36,
I'm assuming those would have all been refrigerated cases like you find in most butcher shops.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure the meat vendors got the usual attention from inspectors. But as for the dry goods, my impression was that something was going on.

Anonymous said...

The meat market guy there now was also there before.

Anonymous said...

Lots of goods, high traffic - you have to wonder where all this business was displaced to? And how much more profitable the current market is?