I just read the article by Anna Tinsley in this morning's paper about the new public market due to open in downtown Fort Worth.

While I do appreciate the efforts the Star-Telegram makes towards civic boosting, some times the disconnect between what I know and what I read can be surprising.

This article says the new market is modeled after other well known public markets, one being Pike Place in Seattle. The article also says other Texas cities have tried this sort of market but were not successful.

I am from Seattle. I have been in the Metroplex for 3 years now. I have had many visitors come down from Seattle. I've taken each visitor to the Dallas Farmer's Market. All these Seattleites have been impressed with the Dallas Farmer's Market and have thought it to be like Pike Place (without the scenery). In my opinion the Dallas Farmer's Market is very much like Pike Place. There are stalls of fruit and vegetable vendors there every day, year round, just like Seattle. There are other shops and vendors in other areas of the market, just like Seattle. In one way it is better than Seattle's Pike Place because parking is so easy at the Dallas Farmer's Market. I don't understand how an article in a Fort Worth paper can dismiss the existence of the Dallas Farmer's Market. Or say that no Texas city has been successful with such an endeavor. The Dallas Farmer's Market seems very successful.

Another thing. In both the Dallas Farmer's Market and Pike Place Market, the farmers are the heart of the place, selling their produce every day of the week. Apparently, in this Fort Worth Market, the farmer's market will be outside and only on Saturdays and only in season. 

I think if you were to send a reporter over to Dallas to check out the Farmers Market, and up to Seattle to check out Pike Place, and then have the reporter write an article about the new Fort Worth Market you would have an entirely different article.

Thanks,

Durango Jones