Right in Our Region
Rockford City Market: Open All Year Long By Janine Pumilia
I
f you find yourself missing the sense of community experienced at outdoor Rockford City Market, there’s an easy solution: Indoor Rockford City Market. Less visible, but with a cozy vibe of its own inside 116 N. Madison St., it offers tasty fare five or more days each week in its food hall, plus events like themed pop-up markets, live music, trivia contests and yoga classes, all winter long. “We’re super excited to keep building on the success of the indoor market,” says Becca Bartels, Director of Market Engagement at Rockford City Market. “It’s a friendly atmosphere where people enjoy gathering while supporting small businesses that are getting up and running.” Rockford City Market grew out of Rock River Development Partnership in 2010. Its goal was to provide startups
16
Smart Living Live
with a low-overhead way to test out their products and gain a following. Its popularity exceeded expectations immediately and, by 2019, attendance at the Friday night outdoor market hit 111,000. Even with a pandemic raging, 90,000 people turned out in 2021. Many small business success stories have emerged. “Woodfire Pizza and Canine Crunchery are just two examples of businesses that got their start at Rockford City Market and grew into their own storefront locations,” says Bartels. Bolstered by public enthusiasm, Rockford City Market opened its indoor location in 2019, purchasing and restoring a historic building adjacent to the outdoor market location. A century ago, the 116 N. Madison St. building was home to one of the first Harley-Davidson dealerships in the country.
Jan 2022 • No. I To advertise call 815-316-2300
The location offers a commercial kitchen that entrepreneurs can rent out. In 2021, 55 small businesses, including food truck owners, made good use of it. There are plenty of common areas inside the market to gather with friends and enjoy food and beverages sold by the four long-term tenants. Crust & Crumbles is an artisan bakery specializing in croissants, danishes, cruffins and fermented breads. It also sells gourmet brunch and lunch fare and, occasionally, pizza. Fans have learned to buy the wildly popular baked goods early in the day, before they sell out. The Quixotic Bakery grew out of Grace Lutheran Church with a goal of providing opportunity to young people. It sells treats that indulge the tastebuds, like ice cream, brownies, cookies and sweet rolls.
