North Market facts for kids
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  The Columbus (top) and Dublin (bottom) North Market locations
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| Coordinates | , 40°06′17″N 83°06′35″W / 40.104680°N 83.109798°W |
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| Address | 59 Spruce St (Columbus) 6750 Longshore St (Dublin) |
| Opening date | 1876 (first market house) 1995 (current downtown market) 2020 (Dublin market) |
| Management | North Market Development Authority |
| Public transit access | Columbus:
multiple routes
Add→ 1, 2, 5, 13, 72, 74, 102, AirConnect, CBUS, Night Owl
Dublin: Add→ 33 |
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460-488 North Park Street Warehouse
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Part of | North Market Historic District (National and Columbus Registers) 82001460, CR-21 |
| Significant dates | |
| Designated CP | December 30, 1982 |
The North Market is a popular place to find food and goods in Columbus, Ohio. It's like a big indoor market or food court. There are two locations: one in downtown Columbus and another in Dublin, Ohio.
The downtown Columbus market first opened in 1876. It was one of four markets built in Columbus, and it's the only one still open today. The North Market is planning to get even bigger with a new building next to the original one. In 2020, a second North Market opened in Dublin, Ohio, called North Market Bridge Park.
The downtown market has about 35 different shops and food stalls. Many of these sell ready-to-eat meals. Others offer special items, fresh produce, flowers, meat, fish, cooking tools, and gifts. A non-profit group called the North Market Development Authority (NDMA) manages the market. They also host a farmer's market outside the building from June to October.
The Dublin market is more modern than the downtown location. It has about 30,000 square feet of space. Two-thirds of this space is for visitors to enjoy. The Dublin market has 15 vendors, with room for up to 19.
Contents
A Look Back: North Market's History
Before the North Market was built, the land was a cemetery called the North Graveyard. This was from 1813 to 1873. In 1872, the graves were moved. Then, in 1876, a market house, along with other shops and restaurants, was built there. This became the North Market.
The North Market was the second of four public markets in Columbus. The others were the East, West, and Central Markets. The North Market is the only one that remains.
- The Central Market was torn down in 1966. A bus station is there now.
- The West Market building is now a Boys and Girls Club.
- The East Market was destroyed by a fire in 1947.
In 1948, a fire also destroyed the North Market building. The city decided not to rebuild it. But the merchants quickly bought a special building called a Quonset hut. This hut was left over from the war. They used it to keep the North Market going. Even though the merchants bought the hut, the city still owned the land.
After World War II, fewer people visited the market. Many people moved to the suburbs, and supermarkets became popular. The market struggled a lot in the late 1970s. The Quonset hut was old and hard to fix. The market's future was uncertain.
Saving the Market
In the 1980s, people started to care more about public markets again. Columbus residents rediscovered their own market. They also worried that the city might tear down the market to build a parking lot. This led to the creation of the North Market Development Authority (NMDA). This non-profit group wanted to "preserve and promote" the market's history and culture.
In 1988, the NMDA made a deal with the city. They got a long-term lease, which meant the market wouldn't be torn down. In 1989, the NMDA took over running the market every day.
The NMDA realized the Quonset hut was too old and small. It was too expensive to fix properly. They needed a new, bigger, and brighter space.
The NMDA started a fundraising campaign. They raised $5 million to build a new market home. This new building would be 60 percent larger. Construction began in January 1995. In November 1995, the new North Market opened with 25 merchants. The building used to be a warehouse from 1915. It is now part of the North Market Historic District.
Rick Harrison Wolfe has been the Executive Director of North Market since 2013.
The Market Bell
The North Market has a special bell. It was used in the very first North Market building. This bell survived the 1948 fire. It fell but was found and stored in the market's basement. In 2014, people donated money to put the bell outside the market. You can see it on the northeast corner of the parking lot.
The second North Market location opened in Dublin, Ohio, on November 5, 2020.
Future Plans: North Market Tower
The North Market Tower is a planned tall building. It will be built on the downtown market's parking lot. This land used to be where the first two North Market buildings stood. In 2016, the city sold the land for this new project.
Architects from Schooley Caldwell and NBBJ are designing the tower. The plan is still being reviewed by city groups. Early ideas included buildings with 35 to 40 floors. The current design has 28 floors.
This new building will make the market bigger. It will also add:
- An atrium (a large open space)
- New restaurant areas
- Apartments
- A hotel
The project is estimated to cost about $192 million.
Gallery
- Columbus market
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Park and Vine Street facades
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First floor foodstands
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Mezzanine level
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Farmer's market
- Dublin market
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Main entrance
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Interior space
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General seating
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Market sign
