Last week I visited Seattle for the first time, and I was able to make several trips to the famous Pike Place Public Market. (Watching fish carcasses get thrown around is actually kinda gross — who knew?)
While there, I started thinking about the proposed Fresno public market. Last September, it was announced that initial plans were in place to investigate the feasibility of a public market located in the old Gottschalks building on Fulton Street in downtown Fresno.
I haven’t heard anything about it since then, but that hasn’t stopped me from thinking about what I’d like to see from a Fresno public market.
Fresh fruits and vegetables is pretty much a given — we know a local market would heavily feature fresh local produce. But here’s what else I’d love to see.
![Fresno public market](https://fresyes.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/FullSizeRender789-1024x767.jpg)
Flowers
One of the coolest things about Pike Place is its flower stalls. Rows of large, fragrant bouquets are everywhere. It was so tempting to buy them up — alas, I knew I couldn’t keep them alive through a plane ride back to Fresno, so I had to admire them from afar.
Books & Magazines
I found a used book store tucked away in Seattle’s market and it was just so cool to stumble across it. I know magazines are a dying industry, but it’d be great to see a news stand/magazine rack/bookstore in the Fresno public market. If you’re gonna dream, dream big, right?
Cheese
Cheese is probably the best food ever, so I’d love to see a stall with nothing but cheese and so would you, don’t lie.
![Fresno public market](https://fresyes.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG_1043-e1496173312560-1024x1024.jpg)
Pretzels & Beer
One thing I found interesting while in Seattle was that nearly every restaurant I went to had large pretzels on the menu. Not sure why this is, but I like it.
Pretzels with cheese and/or mustard are delicious, and even more so when served with cold beer. I’d love to see in the Fresno market a small food place/brewery that served sour ale (and other beer, I guess) and soft pretzels with different hot cheeses. And fried pickles! And a charcuterie plate. Seriously, I want all of this right now.
Crab
Okay, Pike Place obviously has a major advantage over a proposed Fresno market — proximity to a large body of water — but sometimes you just want a cup of crab cocktail. Amirite?
![Fresno public market](https://fresyes.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG_0849-1024x768.jpg)
And that’s what a dream Fresno public market would look like to me. Now it’s your turn. Build your ideal market in the comments below.
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