Customers walking into Boston Public Market are greeted by the smiling faces of local vendors, proud to display their craft. This is what sets it apart from the other markets in the area: the community.
For those who don’t know, Boston Public Market is a local community space, right off the Haymarket stop on the Green and Orange lines. Vendors line the paths with their unique goods, like The Popover Lady selling popovers of different flavors, Red Apple Farm selling fresh apple cider donuts and other apple-flavored treats, and The Pine Bar, a local bar selling drinks made with local spirits.
“I liked the concept of using a lot of local spirits, beers and wines, and focusing on what New England has to offer,” said the bar’s new manager, Chris. “I think a great reflection of New England is its people. It shows through their food, their spirits, their crafts, things like that. That’s what attracted me here, the local practice being behind not only the bar, but the market itself.”
The market is where people come together to celebrate local foods. From produce, to dairy, to fresh baked goods, to coffee, Boston Public Market brings out the best of the area.
“I think Boston Public Market specifically has a great community around food, so I came across this job and I went for it,” said Seth from Siena Farms. Siena Farms sells local produce, herbs and cheeses, with some items that are hard to come by like oyster mushrooms and fresh burrata. Seth and Suzanna, another worker at Siena Farms, laughed over a fond memory they shared.
“I always love when they bring the giant pumpkins in,” said Seth. “They’ll bring a giant forklift in the middle of the market. It usually happens on the busiest day of the year, with a lot of customers trying to walk around this heavy machinery that’s trying to bring a 2000-lb. pumpkin into the market for the Harvest Party.”
“I like how everyday is different, compared to some other retail jobs that are a little more monotonous,” said Suzanna. “I feel like there’s always new challenges, and something new, fun and exciting, whether it’s a special event, new vendors that go in or new produce that comes into season.”
New, fun and exciting describe BPM to its core. There are events almost everyday that bring new visitors to the market, like comedy shows, trivia night, paint and sip nights, Netflix and knitting events, cooking classes and so much more. Check out the “happenings” section on their website— bostonpublicmarket.org—for the full calendar.
Everyone interviewed mentioned loving their BPM family.
“It’s funny when EJ from Crescent Ridge gets the zoomies,” Jackie from Priscilla’s said with a laugh. Priscilla’s sells locally-sourced Korean food, like bulgogi bibimbap.
When asked what she likes about her job, Sandy from Red Apple Farm said, “I like the vendors. They’re really nice people and I like the people that I work with too. They’re very kind.” Red Apple Farms makes fresh apple cider donuts and sells their house-made hard ciders, including flavors like dry, semi-sweet and a featured flavor. At the time of visiting, it was pomegranate.
Boston Public Market supports local entrepreneurs because that’s the primary facet of their business. They have a business education program and incubator competition where local, minority-owned businesses can sell their products at the Market, free of charge for a year. Check out their website for more information.
BPM is a non-profit organization with both work and volunteer opportunities. They also accept SNAP and HIP, so the products can be available to all members of the community. For those interested in visiting, there’s a parking garage above the Market. Vendors will validate parking with purchase so it costs $3 for three hours.