West Side Market

With origins of the land dating back to 1840 the West Side Market is Cleveland’s oldest publicly owned market. Beginning as an open air marketplace on a tract of land donated by two Ohio City landowners, Josiah Barber and Richard Lord, at the corner of West 25th (Pearl) and Lorain it has undergone much growth and many improvements to arrive at its current form. The centerpiece of the market, the yellow brick markethouse with an interior concourse, was designed by the architects Benjamin Hubbel and W. Dominick Benes who also designed other famous buildings in Cleveland, such the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Wade Memorial Chapel in Lakeview Cemetery. The markethouse was dedicated and opened to the public in 1912. Its 137 foot clock tower has stood as a Cleveland landmark for over a century. The last major renovation of the West Side Market took place in 2004 when the arcade portion of the market was enclosed and heated and major interior and architectural renovations were completed in the main building.

Today the market is home to over 100 vendors of great ethnic diversity. You can find not only fine meats and fresh vegetables, but also fresh seafood, baked goods, dairy and cheese products, and even fresh flowers. There are also booths that sell ready-to-eat foods, herbs, candy and nuts. Tourists from all over the world tour the market every year drawn by television programs produced by the Travel Channel and Food Network featuring segments on the West Side Market. Last year it is estimated that over a million people visited the market. Whether as a day-tour destination or a weekly shopping experience, the West Side Market continues to be an interesting and historical Cleveland tradition.