Public Typography: Historic Soulard Farmer's Market

Homegrown

P u b l i c Ty p o g r a p h y Histo ric

S o u la r d

F a r m er s

M a r k et

All around Soulard Farmer’s Market, there are multiple signs greeting you and welcoming you into the historic building.

These signs vary in size from large banners that hang from the ceiling to small banners located throughout the halls on wooden posts.

History In downtown Saint Louis lies the Soulard neighborhood.

Soulard Farmer’s market is the oldest market in the United

Soulard neighborhood is home to many historic restaurants

States. The roots of the Soulard Market goes back to an

and shops, but one of the most well known historic buildings

open-air farmer’s market in the area. With that market

is the Soulard Market. The name Soulard comes from a man

dating back to 1779, Soulard Farmer’s Market is only 15

named Antoine Soulard. Antoine was a colonial French

years younger than the city of Saint Louis. The market moved

surveyor for the Spanish. When he died, his widowed wife

to its present site in 1838. The Grand Hall that it currently

gave two blocks of land to be used as a permanent market

resides was built 91 years later in 1929.

in the city, which just happens to be the land that the Soulard Market started on.

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Produce

Specialty Shops

Food Stands 7

The signs that the vendor creates to display their produce is very simple and done with the materials that are available to them. Simple highlighter and permanent marker are used to make sure the sign is seen.

SPECIALTY SHOPS Produce “Written or printed words are a visual representation of the spoken word.�

- Tosh

Produce Soulard Farmer’s Market is one of the most historic areas in Saint Louis. There are many different reasons why people go to this particular market. This market has so much personality and it is evident as soon as you walk through the doors. Each person adds their own characteristics to the environment through their stands.

The most popular type of stand located at the Soulard Market is the produce stand. The Soulard Market is where anyone can purchase pretty much any fruit or vegetable for the best price in Saint Louis and it will also be the freshest produce anyone can find. The reason it is

These particular signs at a potato stand are displayed on wooden sticks and the handwritten type is hard to read. In most cases, it is unreadable. What grabs the attention it the height they are displayed at.

This vegetable stand provides customers with many different choices, therefore they would need multiple signs to describe what they are selling. Writing out their signs get attention and cost less money.

“Vernacular signs are mostly produced by amateurs who would prefer something more professional.”

- Tosh

Baetje Farms

the freshest and cheapest is because the

signage created are of the vernacular

produce comes straight from the farms

form. Vernacular type is “unfinished, un-

Baetje Farms is a company that has been selling goat and sheep milk cheeses since

around Saint Louis.

professionally created and hand-done

2007. That year in November was the first time that Baetje Farms started to sell at

Each and every one of the stands are

signs and handbills that comprise a great

Soulard Farmer’s Market. The company is classified as a farmstead artisan cheese

created based on the farm the produce

part of our everyday visual experience”

company that milks 50 goats, but only has seven employees that help turn the milk into

comes from and the people that are

(Tosh). These signs have characteristics

cheese. Baetje’s favorite part of being a vendor at Soulard is the customers and being

running the stand. The majority of the

of vernacular type because it is obvious

a part of a market that is such a historical place in Saint Louis.

This vegetable stand has more thought into the way they display their signage. It is homemade type and is actually readable.

They are displayed on wooden slabs, which gives it a nicer look when compared to others.

This apple stand sells all types of apples and it is clear that stacking the fruit was the priority for the customer to see. Signage was hung above the fruit in order to not cover the fruit and also inform.

that

each and every letter was hand-done. The

reason why all the type is done in highlighter and permanent marker is because those are the utensils that are on hand for these farmers. There is no need for the farmers to have signs that are professionally created. When the seasons change, the produce offered changes. Therefore, the farmers would have to have signs created for produce from every season, which would cost a lot of money that is not necessary to spend, especially since they are selling their food for such low prices to begin with.

“Let us not lose the simple joy of looking at design and art.�

7 - Tosh

Specialty Shops “Public lettering can contribute to the way we respond to the This stand sold home grown spices that a couple made out of their home. The sign was created by cutting out letters and decorated with shiny details and is partnered with another sign written with marker.

places and spaces we visit.�

- Tosh

The one bakery at Soulard Farmer’s Market has at least ten signs of different natures in their window. All the signs are overlapping with one another and are cluttered. Each sign displays different things they sell.

Along with the produce stands, there are also other specialty stands at the Soulard Farmer’s Market that focus on other talents that Saint Louis natives posses. These stands can range from bakeries, flower shops, incense shops, spice shops, meat shops, and the list just goes on and on.

All of these various shops offer professionally made signage and type, at least for the most part. The type chosen is immature, but there is no expectation for the signage to be sophisticated. It is made to characterize the store and give it personality. It is also found that these shops layer their signs to give their

Speciality Shops 20

“Regional and professional Heaven Sent Home Spun

vernacular type and

customers more messages. It is clear that

Heaven Sent Home Spun is a handcrafted soap and body care vendor at Soulard

there is no sense of organization, which

Farmer’s Market. They also sell a huge array of natural foods and herbs and spices.

makes all the signage very cluttered and

The company is a family run company that was created in 2002 by Nova Wright. The

it is hard to read all of the messages, but

well branded, they would be like any

purpose of the small company is to make available the finest body care possible and to

once again, that is what is expected from

other store and there would be no other

grace the world with fantastic scents. Heaven Sent Home Spun has been a vendor at

customers. If the stores were clean and

purpose to go to these specialty shops at

Soulard since January of 2009. Being there for nearly four years, Nova Wright claims

sophisticated, that would take away from

the Soulard Market.

that her favorite thing about Soulard is the vast array of humanity that they engage with.

the uniqueness of the stores. If they were

Although the type is more professional, it

This particular stand used wooden signs and decorations to attract customers to their table. The type on the signs are painted on and gives the stand a country home feel, which suits their home made products.

images usually overlap.�

- Tosh

In the middle of the market lies a convenience store that sells multiple items. This store was one of the first at the market, which is very old. All the type in the store displays its age and creates an antique look.

“The simplest vernacular typography is simply hand-crafted type and text, with no images.”

- Tosh

is still in the vernacular category. The type

is a real joy in the creation of something

that is created on the signs is so unique

that is uniquely theirs, no matter the warts

that it stands out compared to all the other

and flaws.

signage in the area. That is the goal that

The main key for a store to survive in an

all of the stores and shops should strive

environment like a farmer’s market is that

to achieve. There are too many stands,

they must stand out. The various different

stores and shops in one area and they

signs and type that is created achieves

should not want to blend in with all of the

this goal and that is why all of these shops

others. They need to have something that

are successful.

is different. According to Paul Tosh, there

The single spice store is located in the middle of the market and has been located there for years. They sell all sorts of homemade spices, herbs and oils. The signage gives an antique and homemade look to the store.

7

“Often, nature lends its hand, degrading or deconstructing the image and typography, lending an even more unique representation and interpretation of the art.�

- Tosh

Food Stands

Throughout the Soulard Market, there are many places to test different foods from the region. There are also many trash containers from all the fresh food served, which is why they use disposible containers.

Food Stands In a different wing from the fresh produce being sold, there are many local stores that set up shop and sell the various types of fresh food they offer for people to buy and eat right there while they walk through the rest of the market. There are many stands that sell things from fresh lemonade to shaved ice to homemade chili. These people selling these items are not from established businesses, but from ordinary households and families, just like you and me. Producing fresh food straight out of a travel cart can be expensive and troubling. The last thing they worry about is how attractive their signage

Peter’s Pork Rinds is a family run business that sells all different flavors of pork rinds.

They also tend to sell other snacks too, including kettle corn, peanuts, and trail mix that are all made in their home in Saint Louis.

Julia’s Market Cafe is a cafe known all around Saint Louis. They are mostly known for their bloody mary’s. Residents will travel to the market just to get the famous bloody mary’s after a fun night in the city.

is as long as the people who pass by

lights to professional prints. Although these

can see what they are making and hope

forms of signage are more permanent,

that they will stop at their stand over the

they are still in bad shape. The neon

hundreds next to them. However, there are

boards that you can write on are old

the few that decide to create a handmade

and worn down and the printed signs

feel that shows they are completely made

are still poor quality. Even though there

by themselves and so the customer can

are more professional signs, there is still

further appreciate the work that they do.

a huge amount of handwritten type. It

As well as having various food carts, there

is still evident that stores do not want to

are also different cafes and restaurants.

spend a lot of money on better looking

The cafes have signage ranging from neon

type and do what they can on a budget.

The Gringo Goose The Gringo Goose is a small vendor that first started out at Soulard Farmer’s Market.

Sarah Nodine, founder and co-owner, created The Gringo Goose after her father and his sweet and spicy pepper relish that he used to make years ago. They call this relish Goose Poop. Sarah’s favorite memory at the Soulard Market was the first time they ever sold out. They sold 14 cases in four hours!

“Hand-done signs comprise a great part of our everyday life.”

- Tosh

When walking around the market, coffee can be detected from hundreds of feet away.

The coffee is only one drink that is craved when at the market. During the holidays there is also hot apple cider and hot cocoa.

“We must never forget that the words being visually expressed actually say something.�

- Tosh

However, these cafes and restaurants are not judged on the signs they provide. It is even stated

by Paul Tosh that they could even be a more honest presentation of what the store owner wants to say to their customer, meaning the owner wants to say their food is home made. The overall signage fits well with the historic feel of the Soulard Market.

That historic and homemade feel makes the customers comfortable and that is exactly what is expected of the stores from their customers.

While walking around the Soulard Farmer’s Market, most customers decide to enjoy a refreshing beverage or munch on a soft pretzel or eat a cup of chili. At the Soulard Market, the possibilites are endless.

Legacy Soulard Farmer’s Market is one of the oldest locations in Saint Louis. When people talk about the glory of the city, Soulard Market is sure to come up. The type and decor around the market give it a welcoming feel that a visitor would never forget and would make them wanting to come back for more. Soulard Farmer’s Market will always be a part of the city and the natives of the city would not have it any other way.

The current building of the Soulard Farmer’s Market has been used for decades. Some of the type located within have also been there for that long. The overall history of this building is very important to the city.

Credits Sources

Lettering on Buildings by Nicolete Gray

The Un-Cultured Word: Vernacular Typography and Image by Paul Tosh

Camera

Canon EOS Digital Rebel T3

Typefaces

Memphis , Futura

VISC 402

Designer as Author

Patrick Dooley Fall 2012

The University of Kansas