I heard a very interesting talk today about the Rochester Public Market. It’s one of Rochester’s oldest institutions, dating back to 1827 when it was located on a platform above the Genesee River. The only vendors then were butchers, and all the scraps went right over the edge into the water. It’s been at it’s present location on Union St. since 1904. At that time farmers brought their goods on horse and wagon and sold only to wholesalers and small grocers. The Humane Alliance (precursor of Lollipop Farm) donated a big fountain for the horses to drink. The fountain also had smaller basins at the bottom for dogs and cats. Hucksters were the men who bought produce at the market and then took it on pushcarts outside the market to sell. After World War II, the market evolved into retail trade, where anyone could come and buy produce. Today, it has evolved again, offering flowers, clothes, flea market items as well as the traditional produce.

What I took away from the talk was that if institutions want to survive, they have to adapt to the times without compromising their core values and purpose. That’s why the Rochester Public Market was just named the best small city market in the whole United States. I’ll see you there on Thursday.

Day 143: 12,045 Steps    YTD: 1,306,130 Steps    Goal: 1,342,000 Steps