Eastern Market

225 7th Street, S.E.
Washington, DC

Contributed by Project for Public Spaces

It's common to rub shoulders with national politicians when shopping at this historic 16,500 square-foot market hall.

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Why It Works

The market is actually a series of spaces: a large indoor brick hall has traditional market merchants, many of whom have been there for generations, and an eating area; a second indoor section added in 1906, now housing an art gallery; and on weekends, a busy craft market in the plaza in front of the market. Additionally, a long shed roof along the street shelters farmers who set up on Saturdays offering fresh produce and flowers. Small shops, a cafe, and a bookstore on the same street reinforce the market as a destination.

The historic building itself seems to be an unchanged constant, even as gentrification continues its march across the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Good-quality produce, cheese, bakery items, seafood, meats (from pigs' feet to steaks) and more are available daily to all comers.

What Makes Eastern Market a Great Place?

The plaza in front of the market draws people in; adding to the dynamics is an antique and flea market located in a schoolyard across the street. It's also a block from a metro stop ("Eastern Market" on the blue or yellow lines) and has great proximity to Capitol Hill.

Part of the reason for the market's success is that it seems to have hardly changed since its opening in 1873: inside, the stalls, equipment, and vendors seem to have been there as long as the buckled brick sidewalk out front.

Traditional market merchants, along with an art gallery, a weekend craft market in the plaza in front of the market. Along the street, a shed houses farmers who set up on Saturdays to sell fresh produce and flowers.

The market is always a great hodge-podge of people where it's common to rub shoulders with local and national politicians shopping side by side with the local folks. On Saturday mornings, you'll see a long line of hungry customers waiting for breakfast: a "plate of blues" or blueberry pancakes comes from one of the more popular stalls.

History & Background

Eastern Market was designed by Adolph Cluss, the architect of the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries Building, and opened for business in 1873. At that time, there were a series of markets serving the growing populace in the capitol city, but today Eastern Market is the only remaining market dating from this period.

The market is in need of physical renovation, which has been discussed for decades. There always seems to be another market committee investigating the future of the institution, but little seems to come out of these well-intentioned efforts. This does not seem to be entirely a bad thing, however.

Contact Info:

Eastern Market Corporation, a for profit corporation controlled by merchants.

User Comments:

02/13/02 Stephen Morris said:: Eastern Market is the heart of the Capitol Hill community and has always been an anchor for the neighborhood, responsible in part for the continuing "gentrification" of the Hill. Although it's got a lot going for it, improvements could be made. Particularly with traffic and parking management around the historic structure. Currently angled parking along the long-side of the market building is something of an obstruction to pedestrians coming from across the street (where there are shops and cafes). The market shed needs replacement or renovation and there needs to be a crosswalk painted on the street leading up to the main entrance on 7th St. Renovation is also, of course, badly needed. The DC government recently awarded a contract for management of the market though it has been challenged in court.
08/22/03 Kevin Palmer said:: Part of our weekend ritual is to stroll through our neighborhood. Invariably, we end up at Eastern Market at some point along the way. We usually buy a week's worth of Parano cheese--a blend of Parmesan and Gouda, our favorite--from the cheese counter in the south hall (www.easternmarket.net/shall.html). It's exciting to mingle in the crowds and see every walk of life from the neighborhood and visitors from out of town. Our only gripe is that we've lost so many of these kinds of places to history. Washington's original Central Market is now the site of the National Archives, and the Navy Memorial across Pennsylvania Avenue is part of a complex called "Market Square." What a more vibrant place it would be if we still had these markets throughout the city. To learn more, visit http://www.EMPDC.org (a group working to preserve the market).
08/22/03 Paree Roper said:: Even with the current gentrification of Capitol Hill, you will see an interesting cross section of Washingtonians. Too bad this is the only market of its type left in the District of Columbia.

The Metro makes it easy to get to, and the flea market across the street is fun and intriguing. There is the feel of being in a village instead of eight blocks from the US Capitol. It's a place I make my way to, even though I live in the Maryland suburbs.