North Market
59 Spruce St., Columbus, Ohio 43215 (614) 463-9664
The North Market has a long history dating back to before 1876. Originally, there were four city markets (North, East, West, and Central which was torn down in 1966 to make way for urban renewal and today is the location of Columbus' Greyhound bus station). Fire and foreclosure ended the existences of the other markets. The original North Market was built on land that was once the city's North Graveyard on the city's northernmost limit. Although the graveyard had closed in 1864 and most of the graves had been moved to Greenlawn Cemetery. However, in 2001, construction workers installing sanitation lines came across additional remains that had been missed during the 1864 move. Those remains were re-buried by the city at Greenlawn.
In 1948 the North Market itself, then located at 29 Spruce Street, caught fire, ruining the building. The City of Columbus, then in charge of the North Market, decided not to rebuild the market. The market's merchants, however, protested by banning together to purchase a portable World War II surplus quonset hut they quickly erected. The merchants sold their goods out of that hut for nearly 50 years, surviving the introduction of the supermarket, month-to-month lease negotiations with the City, and other tribulations.
Around 1988 the North Market Development Authority (NMDA) was formed to protect the market from the looming fear that it would be torn down to make way for additional Convention Center parking. In 1992 the North Market moved to its current location at 59 Spruce Street. The refurbished building was a turn-of-the-century farm implements warehouse that was ideal for redeveloping the Market. This move allowed the market to expand, growing 60% larger than the quonset hut. After pre-move renovations, the market re-opened in November 1995. Now more than one-million people a year enjoy the historic markets traditional butcher, baker, fishmonger, and green grocer goods along with its newer ethnic and gourmet specialties, flower stalls and eateries.
North Market today is Columbus' only surviving public market and is located almost directly west of the Convention Center by a few blocks and serves as an anchor for the Short North area.
Columbus Microbrew Festival
Each year the Columbus Microbrew Festival is held at the North Market on the farmers’ market plaza and on the second floor of the market house. The festival is usually around the middle of September.
North Market Hours
Tuesday–Friday: 9am–7pm
Saturday: 8am–5pm
Sunday: Noon–5pm
Farmers' Market
The North Market farmers' market is in operation on the east patio every Saturday during the growing season (roughly April through late October or early November) starting at 8AM.
The Farmers Market
The North Market farmers' market is in operation on the east patio every Saturday during the growing season (roughly April through late October or early November) starting at 8AM.
Walkability Score
We'll be the first to admit that Walk Score is just an approximation of walkability. There are a number of factors that contribute to walkability that are not part of this algorithm and make no implication of the safety of the area.
