Kalamazoo Municipal Market

Where fresh food is bought and sold

“The farmers’ market was lively yesterday. The yard was filled with loads of hay, straw, wood, grain, etc.”

Kalamazoo Gazette, 31 March 1887

Every summer, locals congregate on Saturday mornings at the Farmers Market near Bank Street to buy and sell fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers and many other kinds of goods. Because of Kalamazoo’s County’s rich heritage of agricultural practices, going as far back as the local Potawatomi’s annual Three Sisters (corn, beans, squash) plantings, a designated meeting ground for vendors and buyers to engage in transactional commerce has long been a popular feature of the city. Over the years, many changes have occurred regarding the operation of the market, including how vendors were chosen, the cost to rent a stall, the upkeep of facilities, and many other operational questions and debates. No doubt, there were the existence of informal markets throughout the 19th century, but it was not until the early 20th century, when the city became involved with the market’s operation and promotion.

In the late 19th century, Farmers Alley was the site for the trading of goods. At that time, the property was owned by Peyton Ranney, a businessman who operated Kalamazoo’s first “parking lot,” comprised of a collection of several sheds that housed the horse and wagons of downtown shoppers. In 1884, Kalamazoo photographer Schuyler C. Baldwin captured the hustle and bustle around the area just east of S. Burdick Street from atop a building, possibly the one which then housed the Kalamazoo Gazette.

By April of 1913, the Kalamazoo Gazette reported on an effort by city commissioners to examine the viability of hosting a market in this same location, where Ranney’s sheds had been located, and which at that time, were the property of Mrs. Frank M. Clark. Commissioners were considering other sites, but given the centrality of the location, Mrs. Clark’s property was ideal.

“The farmer shed property can be reached by alleys from Main, Burdick, and South streets, with the main entrance on South street. It is in the center of the business district and is easily accessible for the patrons and farmers. While no plans will be made regarding the buildings and shed until the citizens vote bonds for the purchase of the site, yet members of the committee stated yesterday that sheds should be provided for at least thirty stalls. A hay market will also be provided, and the city scales will be moved to the market square.”

Kalamazoo Gazette, 26 April 1913

However, a mere eight months later, what appears to be an editorial pitch, an emotional plea for municipal investment toward the development of a new market was published in the Gazette.

“The council has decided that it has no money to expend for an up-to-date municipal produce market and that the street market on North Rose street must suffice for the present. This market is just a little worse than nothing at all. Kalamazoo must have a municipal market place. Thousands of housewives are clamoring for just such an institution and the farmers have made it clear that they would gladly support one and bring the varied products of their fields and dairies to Kalamazoo if they could retail direct to the consumer.”

“Thousands of poor families of Kalamazoo would eagerly grasp the chance of obtaining fresh vegetables, butter, eggs, cheese, fruits and preserves at a price equal or even above what the middleman now pays the farmer. A market place properly supervised and governed would be a tremendous boon to thousands of Kalamazoo families and would offer the farmers of this vicinity a better return for their produce than they are now receiving. That such an institution can be made to properly answer its purpose is proven over and over again by the experiences of other cities who have gone into the matter open-eyed.”

Kalamazoo Gazette, 2 January 1914

In January of 1916, the newspaper continued to argue in favor of a city-operated market, publishing several in-depth articles about the social and commercial advantages of such a service to the community. On March 23rd, the Gazette noted that the market location had been designated for N. Rose Street and W. Kalamazoo Avenue, and that opening day would be May 1st. The market was formally opened in June by Mayor James B. Balch, who reminded both growers and buyers that “if it is to be an instrument of good, there must be cooperation between all parties concerned.”

The market’s location moved around the city for many years in the early 20th century, until it finally found a permanent home in the Edison Neighborhood in 1946. The former site of the market had been on the grounds along Mills and O’Neil streets, in front of the City Light plant.

The Bank Street location for the farmers market was developed from a “6.34 acre tract of former waste muckland west of Portage street and between Lake street and Stockbridge.” The brand new market facility cost $78,000, which included the purchase of land, the filling in and grading of the land, steel roofs for the 64 vendor stalls, and the construction of a “market masters building.”

It has not always been smooth sailing for the market though. In 1966, the buildings department director argued for the elimination of the market, saying it should be “used for some other purpose or sold.” For most of its early history, the market’s precarious status hinged on how best to keep the market funded, as there were years when the cost was greater than the revenue the market generated.

Local business, People’s Food-Cooperative, took over the managing of the market in 2012, including being responsible for “recruiting and retaining farmers, produce dealers, artisans and specialty food vendors.” At that time, the city was operating the market “on a $62,000 budget.” Encouraged by its use and growing popularity, the PFC looked for ways to improve the facilities and expand upon the services of the market. In 2016, the Kalamazoo City Commission approved the purchasing of adjacent land next to the market, which allowed the enlarging of parking capacity. Despite the Coronavirus pandemic’s impact in 2020-2022, the farmer’s market continued to serve the community’s appetite for fresh food by moving the market into the less confined grounds of Mayors’ Riverfront Park. It was during this time when the market underwent major renovations, reopening in 2022 at the Bank Street location. Night, winter and antique markets were added to the schedule of events at the market. In 2026, the city awarded the operation and management of the market to GAMSHO GROUP, LLC.

Locations of the Municipal Market

North Rose Street and W. Kalamazoo Avenue

Kalamazoo Avenue and Edwards Street

Portage Street and Grace Street (now Gibson St.)

O’Neil (aka O’Neill) and Mills Street (near the City Light Plant)

1204 Bank Street Market, 1947-

Article written by Ryan Gage, Kalamazoo Public Library staff, June 2026