EASTERN MARKET

Eastern Market is a quiltwork of retailers & wholesalers, stores, restaurants specialty shops and special events.

This page will provide a useful insight on Eastern Market shopping opportunities to help market Detroit visitors get the most benefit in prices and quality products. With a little more info about stores and shops, you will be at an advantage when you visit the historical Farmers Market in downtown Detroit, Michigan.

Detroit Eastern Market Center of It All

DETROIT FARMER'S MARKET, WINTER SUMMER

SUMMER AT THE MARKET
The month of May signals the beginning of the flower growing season. The infamous Flower Day (Mid-May) is always the main annual flower-gardening sales event. Thousands of truckloads of flowers, millions of flats and baskets sold.

WINTER AT THE MARKET
First Saturday weekend after thanksgiving begins the christmas trees selling season–from small charlie brown size up to 20 feet tall, wreaths, garland, poinesttias, cyclamen plans, and custom holiday arrangemnts–all sheds

THE MARKET'S CHRISTMAS SEASON

Christmas season is in full swing at the Detroit Eastern Market. Saturday weekends are always the big sales day during the christmas season.

CHRISTMAS GREENS, TRIMMINGS

Christmas greens and trimmings: fresh wreaths & garland, roping & grave blankets, holly & cones, center pieces & berries.

CHRISTMAS POINTSETTIAS

Originally cultivated by Aztec indians, and due to the plants star-shaped and deep red petals, the poinsettias has become associated with christmas holiday decorations.

EASTERN MARKET CHRISTMAS TREES

It's that time of the year, Christmas Trees at Eastern Market! The sound of chainsaws buzzing, the excited chatter of holiday shoppers, the crowds, the tiniest charlie brown Christmas Tree up to the tallest twenty foot trees. The occasional scent of scotch pine drifts in the air, variety of soft wreaths and garlands. Plus, many custom-made Christmas decorations.

FALL AT THE MARKET

It's that fall time of the year, Pumkins have arrived at the Eastern Market! Bushels of pumpkins, bins of pumkins, from smallest to giant size, gourds & squash by the thousands. The occasional bale of hay & holloween decor.

SATURDAYS ARE THE BEST!

MARKET INTERESTS

This page will provide shopping visitors important information in four key bulleted areas as outlined above. Educated shoppers will leave Eastern Market with more appreciation and better merchandise.

The webpage also include market interests and activities such as flower days, new product varieties, product availability and pricing for meats, produce, and other grocery related items. MarketSmarts tips will help to can get you more.

PRODUCT PRICES?

Shoppers will find a wide range of prices for fruits & vegetables. Farmer's market consists of independant vendors and farmers who set their own prices. Because prices are not uniformly set by a corporation or governing body, you can almost find anything at anyprice: sometimes 50% lower than supermarkets, sometimes equal to or higher, than found at the Farmers Market in Detroit. Easten Market Product Prices

BUYER BEWARE

The negative side of not having a governing body is that some vendors or farmers might try to sell substandard goods, or mis-represent non-organic produce as being organic. So, buyers must remain vigilant during their shopping spree just in case. Can You Spot Bad Produe

MAIN STREET BOUNDRIES

Eastern Market is surrounded by these main streets: I-75 & Mack, McDougal, and Gratiot.
Eastern Market Boundries Map

WHAT'S AT THE MARKET?

The most prevasive question asked is, what do they sell at the Market? Well... it's not just for buying produce anymore.

There are many different retail stores and eateries lining the main streets. Don't worry about parking, there is plenty. There will be thousands of coney's sold, the same is said for breakfast; fresh eggs, bacon, and grits, will get you pumped up into the shopping mix. Bar-B-Que Ribs, chicken, a nd sausage, visitors from everywhere will converge on Eastern Market. Yes...there are many dining places and things to eat; both food and treats. Shoppers are greeted with the smell of spices, and pleasant aromas filling the market air, some pungent while other are savory sweet. Some places you dine inside other places you can dine out; rows of tables and chairs along the sidewalks invite you to sit and people watch. Rest your feet, hanging baskets and shopping bags.

There are lots of places selling refreshments to drink, some strong, some soft, others sweet. There are nuts to buy, coffees to sample, seasonings to smell as you make this one of your favorite days downtown. Then, there is the annual Flower Day event–plenty of inventory for gardening and flower lovers.

THE MARKET'S BIG, MAIN EVENT!

EASTERN MARKET OF DETROIT FLOWER SEASON
Flower Day Season also called "Detroit Flower Day", is one of metro Detroit's most popular summer long gardening & flower events. It is also known as the Detroit Wholesale Flower Market because it supplies many greenhouses and garden center retailers in the early mornings. However, Saturday hours are reserved for the general public to by flowers from area greenhouse flower growers who in turn sell garden flowers from flats, containers and hanging baskets in all six Sheds. Detroit Eastern Market has been a time-honored tradition of since 1967.

GRATIOT CENTRAL MEAT STORES
It is a smörgåsbord of the meats – There are retail meat stores, wholesale meat stores, meat stores on Russell Street, meat stores on Riopelle Street, meat stores on Gratiot Street across the bridge. Thousand of people buying every kind of meat. Beef and poultry lovers everywhere, come one, come all, small, big, and tall. Gratiot Central Market is a hub for smoked meats, cooked meats, sausages, cold cuts, pork, Bar-B-Que ribs, steaks, fish and yes, even produce; you name it, "they have the meats." Along with a large variety of seafood.

EASTERN MARKET

FRESH VEGETABLES & PRODUCE
Fresh produce trucked in daily. "Two for $5, two for $5" shoppers may hear some of the best deals in town echo under the sheds as they stroll when Michigan's produce season begins. Consumers will discover the big, large, and colorful display of a meandering of vegetable and vibrant fruit colors. During this time, the grounds will be covered in a multiple of different fruits & vegetables. In addition to Michigan watermelons, you will find some Texas watermelons, Mississippi watermelons, Alabama watermelons, Georgia watermelons, and in every size & shape; round, oblong and really long. Iceberg Lettuce, Romaine, Butterhead Lettuce, Spinach, baby spinach and cabbage. There are bins of tomatoes, cantaloupe, cucumbers, and baskets of greens, beans and broccoli. Vegetables & Produce

They will be selling turnip & mustard greens, green peas & green-beans. Herbs & Spices, okra and garlic under every Shed. Onions, peppers, potatoes and squash. "The magic of the market" starts this summer and extends into the fall for the fruits & vegetablesseason.

FOOTBALL TAILGATING
Tailgating is a sports-related social event that occurs as a pre-game activity in the parking lots of sports arenas. Basically, the rear end of a vehicle's tailgate is dropped, then utilized as a table platform for all the food, beverages and all you can eat & drink during the tailgate party. Vehicle tailgates are stacked & stuffed with soft drinks, beer, wine, strong liquor, burgers, hot dogs, sausage, steaks or anything edible.

The Detroit Farmer's Market

STORES & SHOPS
In this old store... you can walk into a great selection of cheeses and wines. Plenty of cheeses, bread, spreads, & cakes, pastries & cookie many kinds of other goodie goodie yum yums. Wines by the crates, wine by the bottle, local & imported. Michigan made products, snacks and baked goods. You can find your favorite wine and cheese among the bounty of stores with a turn of the century charm.

PAST TO PRESENT 1920s
Detroit's downtown area expanded rapidly during the early years. By the 1920s the downtown covered a section encompassing Detroit River, the Lodge Freeway, I-75

STREET VENDORS
Visitors will always find a plethora of vendors every Saturday, in mainly Sheds 2 & 3 and on many streets, but heavily condensed in the Shed 2 areas at the Southern-End of the market. Add shoppers curiosity to the list of things to see and find such as T-Shirts, sports memorabilia. Colorful and unique gifts are found for that special day or special someone such as custom bottle openers. Vendors will “boom” in crafts, jewelry, antiques, art, collectibles and many custom handmade products. This is a relaxing way to spend a weekend. There is always some live entertainment from freelance street performers to heighten the open-air festival atmosphere.