The War on Tacoma's Public Market
Stallkeepers and property owners accuse the city council of conspiring with a 'grocery trust' to demolish a vital public resource.
The story, cleaned up
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Property owners and stallkeepers along the D Street public market are protesting loudly against the scheme of the grocery trust, worked through the city council, to break up the market just as the produce season is about to begin. At a meeting of the stallkeepers last night, vigorous denunciation was made of the city council's order to remove the protective shed over the sidewalk, which would effectively wipe out the market. It was openly charged that the councilmanic action was the result of a conspiracy on the part of a grocery combine working in collusion with certain councilmen. Stallkeepers declared they were willing to remove the booths they used during the winter, but the shed, which keeps out rain and sun, is essential to preserve the market. Property owners are also demanding the council rescind the order. They argue the market transformed their property from residential rentals of $20 per lot to business rentals of $100 per lot, and they are determined to protect that value.
“It was openly charged that the councilmanic action was the result of conspiracy on the part of the grocery combine.”
Public markets have historically been ground zero for battles between independent producers and consolidated corporate interests. Today’s struggles over street vending and the preservation of communal spaces in Tacoma echo these same anxieties about who 'owns' the public right-of-way and whose business model gets to survive.
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