Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Lyons
|
"The concepts coming to town are modeled after famous markets like Pike Place Market in Seattle or the Ferry Building in San Francisco's Embarcadero District. People gravitate to them because the markets offer inexpensive food and a community feel that only comes with a large gathering place . . . ."
That isn't quite correct. As a long-time San Franciscan and now snow bird flying off to the Tucson area every winter (to escape northern CA rain), I am regular shopper at the Ferry building when in SF. The point of the best of these food halls--what makes them successful--isn't "inexpensive food". Quite the opposite. It's top quality artisanal groceries you can't get in super markets such as specialized charcuterie, organically raised heritage breeds of meat, local (usually organic) vegetables at the peak of season, locally made cheeses and things like olive oils and on and on and on.
If they build food halls in Tucson that are just independent versions of mall food courts with a bunch of fast food chains, it won't work--or at least it won't be anything like the Ferry Building or Pike Place Market (or even old-style food halls like Baltimore's North Avenue Market). What should be in these places is the creme de la creme of local farmers' markets, available every day.