Pike Place Market Centennial

The Aging of the Market

After World War II, the advent of the supermarket, the movement of Seattle's population into the suburbs, and the decline of local truck farms combined to make the Market's role for consumers became less central. The aging Market buildings did little to entice many people away from brightly-lit grocery store aisles. Paint was peeling, walls were cracking, and a general lack of maintenance gave the Market an old and neglected appearance. The number of transients in the neighborhood also served as a deterrent to many shoppers. To some in the community, the Market began looking more and more like an eyesore.

Corner Market

Corner Market interior

Sanitary Market

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