SEPTEMBER 2007: AROUND THE STATE
A tale of
two public markets
PORTLAND The
indoor Vancouver Farmers Market at Esther Short Park closes at
the end of this month, crushed by debt and a bad business
plan.
Market master Robert Ray says foot traffic was weak, the
building was uninviting and “we were doomed from the
start” because the market started out in debt with an
$180,000 loan. Along with a hefty rent payment, the overhead
came crashing down. The outdoor market will remain open.
Ron Paul, director of the nonprofit Historic Portland Public
Market Foundation, wants to avoid the same fate. He says
it’s crucial for a Portland market to open debt free, and
he wants the city to provide a suitable spot. He has his sights
set on Union Station in northwest Portland, but it will cost
more than $30 million to upgrade the station, plus at least $6
million to make upgrades to accommodate a market, which Paul
hopes to raise privately. Paul, who has tried for seven years
to open a public market, hopes to have an answer on Union
Station this fall.
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