2 Specialty Foods ENCOURAGE FOOD HALLS IN CONJUNCTION WITH CREATIVE SPACES, ESPECIALLY IN DOWNTOWN AND OTHER MIXED-USE ENVIRONMENTS. Food Halls are a growing trend nationally and combine the experience of a farmers market with dining. Often located in renovated buildings, food halls offer spaces for food vendors, bars, and specialty food shops. Many food halls have a retail component. • The Pizitz in Birmingham, Alabama, is located in a renovated department store. The upper floors have been converted to residential condos and the ground floor features 14 food stalls, a full-service restaurant, a bar, three retail spaces, and a co-working space. The Pizitz has an outdoor garden that features yoga, movies, and special concerts. • St. Roch Market in the Bywater District of New Orleans is a former farmers market that has been converted into a food hall. Self-styled as a “destination for the culinary curious,” St. Roch Market features 12 vendors. It is highly focused on entrepreneurial development. St. Roch is also a de-facto community gathering place with a weekly game night and an adjoining farmers market.
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• Plant City in Providence is a smaller focused concept on plant-based products. As a food hall, it is highly targeted and driven by a private investor. For Manchester, a food hall could be the foundation for a broader concept capturing the gap in specialty food, expanding the destination appeal of downtown, incubating entrepreneurs, welcoming families, and becoming an inviting place for visitors.
