The Los Angeles Times reports on how Santa Monica Place mall in California, which was redesigned, renovated and reopened last year as an open-air shopping center, is now using a new “gourmet bazaar” to attract customers.
According to the story, “The roughly 15,000-square-foot space, reminiscent of San Francisco's Ferry Building, opened Friday and features cured meats, cheeses, freshly baked breads and seasonal produce. Merchants include an organic ice cream shop, casual trattoria, florist and artisanal chocolatier. There's also a cooking school.
“Santa Monica Place, adjacent to the Third Street Promenade in downtown Santa Monica, was already unique in its heavy emphasis on food — its entire third floor is dedicated to dining options, including an indoor-outdoor food court and six restaurants.”
The gourmet bazaar is seen as a formalized reflection of and expansion on Santa Monica’s popular weekly farmer’s market, “a seven-day-a-week experience that would be part of the slow food movement, part of the organic food movement."
According to the story, “The roughly 15,000-square-foot space, reminiscent of San Francisco's Ferry Building, opened Friday and features cured meats, cheeses, freshly baked breads and seasonal produce. Merchants include an organic ice cream shop, casual trattoria, florist and artisanal chocolatier. There's also a cooking school.
“Santa Monica Place, adjacent to the Third Street Promenade in downtown Santa Monica, was already unique in its heavy emphasis on food — its entire third floor is dedicated to dining options, including an indoor-outdoor food court and six restaurants.”
The gourmet bazaar is seen as a formalized reflection of and expansion on Santa Monica’s popular weekly farmer’s market, “a seven-day-a-week experience that would be part of the slow food movement, part of the organic food movement."
- KC's View:
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This may be high-end, but it sounds fascinating. And any market that uses the San Francisco Ferry Building as a role model has a head start - that facility has turned into a must-visit for anyone going to San Francisco.
