To Market, To Market

Dan Ziegler and his wife Rita sold produce at Soulard Market for 60 years. They purchased their farm, located in Hillsboro, in l954. The fresh eggs available at their booth were from the farm of their son-in-law in St. Genevieve County. (People Productions photo by Clark Rowley)

"A first-time visit to the Soulard Market is like any other kind of new experience," Central West Ender Laura Cohen explains. "You have to look before you leap. Before you buy anything, look around the facility," she advises. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Laura came to St. Louis in l976. She has been shopping at the market for over two decades.

Soulard neighborhood resident Mary Linden agrees. "Go up and down the aisles and become familiar with what is available," Mary remarks. She also suggests studying the vendor map across from the office of the market master. The map breaks the vendors down into categories, depending on what they are offering. Categories include: produce, flowers and plants, bakery, miscellaneous, farmer/grower, apparel, meat, fish, eggs, cheese, spices, grains and snacks and meals.

"I have a lot of faith in the farmers, the ones who have grown what they are selling," she explains. She also points out that, in addition to freshness, those vendors who grow their own produce are more likely to have suggestions for preparing that produce. "More specifically, I talk to the wives of the farmers. I find that they are the real experts when I need food preparation help," she says.

"If you want to purchase something from a produce re-seller, make sure you can pick out what you want to buy. If they won't let you, my advice is not to buy," Mary says. She has been shopping at the Soulard Market for over 20 years.

Michelle Duffe, a commercial real estate broker and a resident of the Shaw neighborhood, notes that "it would be preferable if the first-timer visited the market with somebody who has shopped there before." Michelle also notes that comparing prices and buying the cheapest sometimes does not yield the best buy. "Quality varies greatly," she points out, and "sometimes there is a reason for a cheaper price on a product, and that reason involves quality. There is nothing worse than getting home to find that your purchase is good only for the wastebasket."

Some shoppers see Soulard Market shopping as a series of anniversaries. Gina Ryan, another Shaw resident, relates that "the arrival of the spring asparagus crop from Scharf Farm marks the beginning of the season" for her. She also buys geraniums from Scharf. Her focus is on products fresh from fields and orchards. The farmers usually only open their booths on Saturdays and then only during the growing season, it should be remembered.

Laura loves the products from Kruse Gardens and Scharf Farm, as well as those found in the Spice Shop, part of M. Schmitz Market, Inc. "Local eggs, honey, dressed chickens and a spectrum of other products are available," she says. "I also buy flowers on a regular basis," she adds. She is executive director of Trailnet and project manager, Confluence Greenway.

Michelle likes the flowers from the Soulard Florist. "They seem to last the longest," she reports. She also orders fresh turkeys each year. Another stop is the booth of Nolte Farms. She admits she has never bought meat from the Schmitz Market, "but I would like to," she relates. "I buy beets, squash, bedding plants and, when I am planning on making soup, I buy the fresh, shelled beans from the vendors," Michelle comments. Green tomatoes are also on the shopping list at the appropriate time.

Mary also likes the Spice Shop. "That is where I buy almost all of my spices," she reports. "You can buy small quantities, so your supply is fresh. Also, I like their coffee, and they have good gift items for sale."

Beets, tomatoes, peaches and seasonal fruit and vegetables are all attractive to Laura. "Soulard Market is one of our local treasurers," she concludes. And don't forget the watermelons and cantaloupes, or the sweet corn and the peppers. "There is no other place like it in St. Louis," Jack Dyer adds. "It's not just the groceries. You can see there just about any type of person imaginable," he says. "The place has real entertainment value." Jack is retired and lives with wife Judy on Menard Street.

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