Cleveland — The West Side Market is one of the most popular tourist spots in Northeast Ohio, but we've noticed something is going on there: Fewer vendors.
WKYC came upon this story when one of our photographers came to the market to shop and noticed a lot of empty stands in the produce department. We found out that occupancy is down seven percent from last year, and we wanted to know what was going on.
PHOTOS | Empty stands at West Side Market
The good news? It’s not because of a lack of shoppers.
Overall, the West Side Market is hustling and bustling, but there was an eerie silence in the Produce Section, with rows of empty stands. Last year, construction of a new lot was to blame for parking problems, and several vendors closed-up shop citing sagging sales. But with the lot now built and more spots for customers, why the empty stands?
Well, life, according to Tony Pinzone, former President of the Tenant’s Association.
"It’s like the markets been in its natural course of event," he explained. "People come and go."
Some vendors retired, others left for health reasons, and then there was the sudden death of Richard Calabrese in January, whose family owned a stand since 1919.
But several vendors told us, off camera, there was more to this. They complained about rising rents, and the fact that all of the "employees" now had to pay $80 a month for parking.
According to Pinzone, that’s a little inaccurate, and some vendors might be confused. He says they "used" to pay $80 dollars to maintain the lot, but now they only pay a $70 tenant’s fee, which includes money for a part time police officer to patrol the Market. He adds the current Tenant’s Association president has made arrangements for employees with the city, who now have off-street parking on Gehring St.
But vendors say they're also leaving because the century-old building is deteriorating, and it's not worth it to stay, something Pinzone agrees they'd like addressed. But as for the market’s future, he’s optimistic, and says it’s still a great place to make a living.
"I've been doing it for years, and this place has paid for everything my family has," he said.
The market says it is taking applications for people who want to open stands here, and they've had a lot of inquiries. If you're interested in becoming a vendor, you can apply online at fhall@city.cleveland.oh.us. Or by calling 216-664-3541.