At East Williamsburg's Moore Street Market, you'll find tubers of all shapes and sizes, tropical fruits like breadfruit, mango, bananas, and plantains, freshly made mole, ceviche-ready sea bass, and all the pasteles - frozen and prepared - that your heart desires. On most days, merengue melodies from Manuel Rivera's music stall fill the market with a warm and welcoming soundtrack, while shoppers and vendors chat with one another in Spanish and English.
Courtesy of the Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation
As one of New York City's oldest indoor public markets, the Moore Street Market has always been more than just a place to shop. Since its opening in July of 1941, the market has been a gathering place for the newest immigrants to the Bushwick and Williamsburg sections of Brooklyn. In those early years, most of the vendors were Jewish and Italian, but as the demographics of the surrounding neighborhoods shifted in the 1950s and 60s, more Puerto Ricans and then Dominicans settled in the area, and the market went from selling herring and knishes to pork and pasteles. Today, as in the 1960s, the market is known by local residents as simply "La Marqueta." An important anchor for the Spanish-speaking communities of East Williamsburg, the market's current vendors hail from Mexico, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
Fresh catch from Junior's Fish Market
This spring, Urban Oyster will be launching a tour about the Latino community in the neighborhood with the stories from the vendors in the Moore Street Market as a centerpiece. Tour researcher and native Brooklynite Francisco Najera spent this past summer meeting with and interviewing 12 vendors at the market before leaving the city for graduate school. Building on his research, Pedro Garcia and I are in the process of doing interviews with other area residents and business owners, some of which are recorded and will be put in the archives of the Brooklyn Historical Society. I hope you'll join us for a tour when we launch in the coming months, but in the meantime, drop by La Marqueta and explore on your own if you've never been. Pick up an unfamiliar piece of fruit or some veggies from Abby's Fresh Food and Meat Market; shrimp from the market's new vendor, Junior's Fish Market; or stop by the juice bar for a cup of avena, an oatmeal-based drink common in countries ranging from Colombia to the Dominican Republic.
Tubers of all varieties at Abby's
Holiday Vendors This Weekend
This weekend will be a great time to visit the Moore Street Market, as it will be one of the liveliest of the year. Tienda Las Gemelas, translated as "The Twins' Store" (run by a woman from Puebla, Mexico and her two twin daughters), will be selling baby dolls and baskets which they stock specifically for this time of year. At Christmastime, it's traditional in Mexico and other Latin American countries for children to bring baby Jesus dolls in decorated baskets to mass to receive blessings. The Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation, which manages and operates the market, recently announced that several vendors will be making special appearances this holiday weekend. Owner of Long Island City's Lucina's
This weekend will be a great time to visit the Moore Street Market, as it will be one of the liveliest of the year. Tienda Las Gemelas, translated as "The Twins' Store" (run by a woman from Puebla, Mexico and her two twin daughters), will be selling baby dolls and baskets which they stock specifically for this time of year. At Christmastime, it's traditional in Mexico and other Latin American countries for children to bring baby Jesus dolls in decorated baskets to mass to receive blessings. The Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation, which manages and operates the market, recently announced that several vendors will be making special appearances this holiday weekend. Owner of Long Island City's Lucina's
Gourmet Food, Desmond Morais, will be selling rum cakes, pound cakes, red beans and ripe plaintain turnovers, and more on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On Saturday, Lucina's will be joined by Laura Siner, owner of Sweet Muse, who will be selling rich, fudge brownies in twelve different flavors wrapped up in decorative packaging for gift giving, and Pi Gluten Free, a socially conscious company that makes sweet and savory gluten-free pies. On Sunday, Noemie Grenier, owner of Don Quichete, will be at the market with her self-described, "crusty yet creamy, satisfying yet light quiches." Mmm...
Holly Trolley Ride along Graham Avenue
After visiting the market, walk one block east to Graham Avenue and a couple of blocks south to Cook Street and ride the historic trolley that will be making its way through the neighborhood between 11:00AM and 3:00PM on Saturday and Sunday, with the last trolley departing from Cook Street at 2:30PM. Santa will be making an appearance on Saturday's trolley route and carolers will be out on both Saturday and Sunday. Hosted by the Graham Avenue Business Improvement District, this third annual Holly Trolley Event is free of charge and will be a fun way to complement a holiday afternoon in East Williamsburg. Visit the Graham Avenue BID's website for more details.
Holly Trolley Ride along Graham Avenue
After visiting the market, walk one block east to Graham Avenue and a couple of blocks south to Cook Street and ride the historic trolley that will be making its way through the neighborhood between 11:00AM and 3:00PM on Saturday and Sunday, with the last trolley departing from Cook Street at 2:30PM. Santa will be making an appearance on Saturday's trolley route and carolers will be out on both Saturday and Sunday. Hosted by the Graham Avenue Business Improvement District, this third annual Holly Trolley Event is free of charge and will be a fun way to complement a holiday afternoon in East Williamsburg. Visit the Graham Avenue BID's website for more details.
Decorating the Rathskeller of the Rectory.
Holiday Church Tour
Last but not least, if you'd like to join us for our second annual Holiday Tour of Most Holy Trinity - St. Mary's Church, please be sure to reserve your tickets as soon as possible. The tour will take place this coming Sunday, December 19th from 3:00PM to 5:00PM and again on Three Kings Day, Thursday, January 6th from 6:30PM to 8:30PM. Tickets cost $20/person and must be purchased in advance because space is limited. Click here to purchase tickets. All profits from this tour will be donated to the Trinity Human Service Center which provides support to economically disadvantaged people of the city, especially to the neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Bushwick.
Happy Holidays from Urban Oyster!
If you would like to follow this blog, subscribe to our RSS feed or sign up for updates via email in the box above on the right (this is separate from the Urban Oyster email newsletter). For questions or comments about this blog post, please contact Cindy VandenBosch or post a comment.
Last but not least, if you'd like to join us for our second annual Holiday Tour of Most Holy Trinity - St. Mary's Church, please be sure to reserve your tickets as soon as possible. The tour will take place this coming Sunday, December 19th from 3:00PM to 5:00PM and again on Three Kings Day, Thursday, January 6th from 6:30PM to 8:30PM. Tickets cost $20/person and must be purchased in advance because space is limited. Click here to purchase tickets. All profits from this tour will be donated to the Trinity Human Service Center which provides support to economically disadvantaged people of the city, especially to the neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Bushwick.
Happy Holidays from Urban Oyster!
If you would like to follow this blog, subscribe to our RSS feed or sign up for updates via email in the box above on the right (this is separate from the Urban Oyster email newsletter). For questions or comments about this blog post, please contact Cindy VandenBosch or post a comment.