The first in a series by Cliff Lewis

As Lancaster’s Buy Fresh Buy Local® program encourages the community to take their “21 Day Challenge” of buying local produce, NewsLanc will be spotlighting the Historic Eastern Market. In an interview with market manager Doug Smith, it became clear that Eastern Market plays a much broader role in the surrounding community than one might expect from the typical farmers’ market.

Strolling East from Central Market, one will observe the towering Marriott Hotel on the right, followed by the courthouse on the left, and, a little further, the Demuth Tobacco Shop on the right. Many would assume this end of all “viable” destinations East of Penn Square. But, since 2006, the Historic Eastern Market at 308 East King Street has been working to prove that assumption wrong.

According to manager Doug Smith, the space at 308 E King was used as a farmers market from 1883-1927. Then, for almost 80 years, this facility was passed through a variety uses—a car dealership, a boat showroom, and more. In 2005, the Historic Market space was purchased by Tabor Community Services, which now uses much of the facility to house their offices.

Then, in 2006, the East King Street Improvement District, a neighborhood revitalization effort headed by Tabor, initiated the rebirth of Historic Eastern Market. In this regard, the Market itself stands on the front line of efforts to improve quality of life in the Eastern and Southeastern sections of Lancaster City. This is why Smith calls it a “mission-driven market:“

“Eastern Market was started for a couple reasons. One was to provide community space for this side of town, where people could come and be in a friendly environment….Another reason was in response to a food study that was done, which identified the southeast side to be an area of poor food access. That’s when we started inviting farmers to set up here and revive the historic market.”

Now in its fourth season, Eastern Market has expanded its vendor line-up to as many as 20 stands—all of them featuring fresh local produce and diverse prepared foods. The Market, open on Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings, has already carved itself a unique niche by frequently showcasing local artists and musicians, and by integrating members of the diverse local community. According to Smith, about 50% of Eastern Market’s city customers come from its own surrounding neighborhood.