Market House Works on Ways to Reinvent Itself

By John Bartlett, Erie Times-News, Pa.

Mar. 30–MEADVILLE — Vicki Allin, co-owner with her husband, Paul, of the bakery in the Meadville Market House, has a few suggestions for the historic center.

David O’Neil is all ears.

“I’d like the Market House to have a more contemporary look and feel,” Allin said. “I’d like to see more food vendors. I’m looking forward to that.”

O’Neil, a nationally known consultant who was hired to develop a business plan to reinvigorate the Market House, said the ideas and concerns of vendors and hard data on their businesses are important to developing a workable plan.

So too, he said, are the opinions of shoppers and those who live in the area but do not frequent the Market House.

To gather those opinions, surveys recently went out to vendors. Shoppers will be surveyed in coming days, followed by area residents who don’t do business at the Market House.

O’Neil will outline some preliminary survey results, the planning efforts and future of the Market House at a program April 21. The time and location for the public forum has not yet been set.

“I’m going to frame it in terms of the bigger picture of what is working and, in some cases, not working in other places,” O’Neil said. “There is a lot of great stuff going on across the country. It’s something of a major movement that’s under the radar.”

The French Creek Project took over management of the Market House on June 17 under a three-year contract with an option for an additional two years with the Market House Authority. The FCP pays the authority $1,200 a month, and in turn collects the rents from vendors and tenants.

The French Creek Project took over management of the Market House with the intent of revitalizing its business and ensuring its long-term success by returning to its roots as a market for locally grown foods and related products.

FCP Executive Director Mark Gorman said the intent is to both support the Market House and build markets for local farmers.

“O’Neil will come up with a conceptual approach on how to make the Market House sustainable and at the same time meet our goal of being a market for local growers and meat producers,” he said.

O’Neil said the Market House must find its niche where it both meets the needs of local consumers and can compete with the grocery chains. Local produce and goods is just one element of that, he said.

“It is not just one thing that will make this work, but many things that combine,” O’Neil said. “There are so many options for consumers, but the trump cards for markets like the Market House is that people like going to them. These are becoming increasingly popular nationwide because people really like them. They like the fresh produce — produce is really the key — the personal contact and the experience.”

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