Pike Place Market

Pike to Virginia Street, on Pike Place
Seattle, WA

Contributed by Project for Public Spaces

Perhaps the quintessential public market and market district, the vitality, attractiveness, and economic success of this place are a beacon in Seattle (and for market boosters across the country).

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Why It Works

The market sits in the center of a seven-acre Market Historic District, with its official entrance at Pike Street and Pike Place. Here stands "Rachel," the market mascot: a 550-pound bronze piggy bank that collects from $6,000 to $8,000 a year for the Market Foundation. From here the market extends in an L-shape past the Main Arcade, smaller stalls and shops, and then to larger restaurants and commercial spaces.

The multi-level market consists primarily of fish and produce stalls, but also features over 200 unique non-food shops selling value-added goods, including art galleries and local crafts. The concessions and displays are often creative and as a whole, the market is attractive and well-maintained. A large sign and clock on the roof provide a distinguishing feature; an information booth offers maps and pamphlets.

One of the successful elements of the redevelopment design was the change in traffic flow patterns. The neighborhood is now pedestrian friendly, and is easily accessible by public transit and ferries. The area right in front of the Main Arcade is limited to one-hour parking. Long-term parking is available further away, but still in walking distance of the market.

History & Background

Over the years, Pike Place has become an important local landmark as well as an example of successful community activism and planning. It was founded in 1907 as a city-sponsored experiment to help local farmers sell their produce directly to consumers, bypassing the wholesalers suspected of inflating prices. The Market was a success and soon more stalls and permanent structures were built to meet the growing needs of the consumers and farmers. The atmosphere of the market was created early on by a few basic rules: The size of the stalls was kept small and sales were limited to food and food products raised or produced by the seller. In 1923, the market shifted from the street to a private arcade where farmers could rent space on a daily basis.

The market continued to grow and attract shoppers through the 1930s. Its multicultural nature added to the variety of goods and the texture to the atmosphere. After WWII, technological advances in farming and transport changed the local farming economy that led to a period of decline for the market. The number of shoppers dropped sharply with suburbanization and the rise of supermarkets. The market deteriorated, but its location at the western edge of downtown Seattle made it an attractive piece of real estate.

The city eventually declared the area "blighted" and scheduled it for redevelopment. As early as 1964 a citizens group called Friends of the Market began organizing to save Pike Place. The city made plans for the Pike Place Project that would include a 1.7-acre market in the middle of a 22-acre project. Market supporters and preservation activists campaigned to save the market and put an initiative on the ballot. In November 1971, an initiative was passed that overturned the urban renewal plan and set aside a 7-acre Historical District. It also established a 12-member Historical Commission to oversee all development and uses within the district.

The market is now the center of a strong neighborhood community that provides homes for nearly 500 residents. It also provides a wide range of social services including a medical clinic, childcare, a pre-school, a food bank, and a senior center. The area is now under the management of the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority.

Contact Info:

Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority: 206-682-7453

User Comments:

> Add your own comment about Pike Place Market

07/03/03 Mark Musick said:: HistoryLink.org has an excellent pictoral history of the Pike Place Market which you may wish to link to. The URL is: http://www.historylink.org/output.CFM?file_ID=1602
Thanks for helping foster an appreciation for great community places.
Best wishes,
~Mark
08/22/03 Paree Roper said:: Thank God the folks in Seattle had the foresight to realize the gem they possessed. This place excites like few places in America.
10/27/03 Mark McCullough said:: This market is one of the best I have ever visited in the country. Many locals as well as tourists use this great market. There are also flying fish and many great restaurants and bakeries in the district.
12/02/03 nancy richardson said:: When I moved to Seattle in the 1970's I was thrilled by its beauty, but overwhelmed. Then I discovered Pike Place Market and returned over and over for the "at home" feeling and constant new discoveries. It is a place unique in the world and only by visiting it can one experience the absolute "aliveness" (I can think of no other word) which embues the place itself and the visitor - with EVERY visit. I now live on the east coast, but always, always think with great homesickness of my glorious Seattle and the joy that is Pike Place Market.
01/15/04 douglas winnie said:: As a fourth generation Seattleite, my hope is that the PPM retains its working class nature rather than become any more tourist-driven than it already is. My grandpa was a baker and met my grandma in the neighborhood. My Mom was a vendor in the 70's and I spent a portion of my early childhood roaming and playing at the Market. I hope PPM never looses its working atmosphere.
01/27/04 paola alcaraz said:: Every time I think about PPM, I can only think about the greatest time I've ever had. And I can only hope to be there very soon!!!
01/31/04 Scott Rains said:: The Market is a perennial stop-over whenever I have the chance to visit back home in Seattle. It's part of what makes the city still feel like home! In spite of its hillside location and aged buildings the work done to make it wheelchair accessible was remarkably successful.
02/25/04 Richard Skaff said:: It's really amazing how you use the "right" terminology, ". . .and is easily accessible by public transit and ferries. . ." but don't provide one word about real accessibility! Your web site isn't even accessible to a blind person’s screen reader (you should review the new Federal Government's 508 regs for federal web site access)! Pike Place Market is hardly accessible in the true sense of the word (meaning that all users, including those with disabilities) can enjoy its features. Obviously, this issue of access for the portion of the community with disabilities wasn't in your thought process!
11/29/04 Vivian Kahn said:: We lived in Seattle from 1978 to 1983 and regularly shopped and strolled the Pike Place Market. Like many notable public places, it was, however, not feasible to live there for most folks. Back in the early 80's the Pike Place options were SROs or condos that were way our of our price range. We were able to afford a house on Beacon Hill and a storefront office for our fledging architecture/planning firm in Columbia City. By the time they come to your attention, how many of the great places you have identified are truly within reach of most folks? Thank goodness I kept my house in Oakland. We sure couldn't afford it now!
07/14/05 Christian Calleri said:: Pike Place is one of the most wonderful places I have ever been to. Truly a great achievement! It is able to accept throngs of tourists while maintaining a real vibrant authenticity. People here seem joyful and engaged. The street performers and affordable housing add so much to the quality of the market as well.