Sweet Auburn Curb Market facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sweet Auburn Curb Market |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Exterior of Municipal Market from Edgewood, with associated Atlanta Streetcar stop (2019)
|
|
| General information | |
| Coordinates | 33°45′16″N 84°22′38″W / 33.7544996°N 84.3772128°W |
| Opened | 1923 |
The Sweet Auburn Curb Market is a famous old market in Atlanta, Georgia. It's located in a special area called the Sweet Auburn Historic District. This market is run by a group that doesn't aim to make a profit. They rent the building from the City of Atlanta. Then, the different shops and food stalls inside rent their spaces from the market's management.
Contents
History of the Market
How the Market Began
The market first started in 1918. It was built on land that had been cleared after the Great Atlanta fire of 1917. At first, it was a farmers' market set up in a huge tent. People loved it right away because they could buy fresh food directly from farmers.
To make the market a permanent place, the Atlanta Woman's Club helped. They raised almost $300,000. This money was used to build a strong brick and concrete building. The new building opened on May 1, 1924. It was called the Municipal Market of Atlanta. Back then, it was right in the middle of Atlanta. It quickly became a very popular place to shop for everyone in the city. The City of Atlanta owned the building.
A Special Nickname
The Municipal Market soon got a friendly nickname: the Sweet Auburn Curb Market. This name came partly from the neighborhood around it. This area grew because of old rules called Jim Crow laws. These laws kept people of different races separate.
At that time, Atlanta had racial segregation. This meant black and white people were kept apart in many places. Inside the market, black people could shop next to white people. However, only white people were allowed to sell from the main shops inside. Black vendors could only sell from stalls along the curb outside. This is how the "Curb Market" name came to be.
Changes Over Time
In the 1950s and 1960s, big changes happened. Supermarkets became popular, and more people moved to the suburbs. Also, segregation laws ended. Many black residents moved from the area. Because of these changes, fewer people came to the Curb Market. Vendors found it hard to pay their rent.
In 1973, the market's lease was ending. The mayor at the time, Sam Massell, thought the market was no longer useful. He didn't want to make a new lease agreement. He felt the city wasn't getting much money from the land.
Saving the Market
But a "Save the Market" campaign started. People showed that the market still made a lot of money each year. It was the biggest place for "soul food" shopping in the country. It provided special cuts of meat to many people, especially those with lower incomes.
A group of banks gave a million-dollar loan. This money helped fix up and improve the market. So, the market was able to keep going.
Modern Updates
The City of Atlanta bought the market building in 1980. But sales still went down. Then, Atlanta was chosen to host the 1996 Summer Olympics. This brought almost $8 million for market repairs. The renovation started in 1994 and finished with a grand reopening on September 26, 1997. President Bill Clinton even visited the market in 1999.
.jpg)
In 2008, a big tornado hit Atlanta. The market building was badly damaged. In 2010, the market received $1.8 million in grants. Part of this money was used to replace the sign damaged by the tornado. Workers found the original outside sign and fixed it. It is now displayed inside the building. A new copy of the sign was made for the outside. Renovations and repairs were finished by May 2012.
The market was called the Sweet Auburn Curb Market starting in 1998. However, in 2018, for its 100th birthday, the market decided to use its original name again: the Municipal Market.
Design of the Building
The market building is made of brick. It was designed by an Atlanta architect named A. Ten Eyck Brown. When it was first built, the single-story market had two-story towers on each side of the entrance. But these towers were removed during the first renovation in the 1970s.
In Movies and TV
The market has been a filming location for movies and TV shows. A scene in the 2014 movie Ride Along was filmed there. The market also appeared in the ABC TV series Kevin (Probably) Saves the World. It was shown in an episode called "Fishtail."
What You Can Find There
The shops inside the market are all owned by different people. They sell many different things. You can find meat, fish, baked goods, vegetables, fruit, nuts, coffee, and flowers. There are also Caribbean groceries and even a place to get prescription medicine.
Many restaurants are also located in the market. Some of these restaurants have become so popular that they opened their own separate places. Examples include Grindhouse Killer Burgers and Bell Street Burritos. The market is seen as a great place for small businesses to start and grow.
- The Sweet Auburn Curb Market on Vimeo
