Seattle's Pike Place Market opens evening hours

SEATTLE — Seattle’s landmark Pike Place Market is extending the hours for farmers and crafters all summer long to attract local shoppers.

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The Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority says it launched a farmer’s market on the weekends, but found that locals often shied away because of high tourist traffic volume.

"What we were finding is that our farmers aren't making as much money as they could on weekends because a lot of our tourist traffic isn't going to buy kale, and bunches of carrots," says Emily Crawford with the PDA.

While most vendors inside the Market will close for business at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, the PDA will close Pike Place between Pike and Stewart to set up tents for farmers and crafters.

They’ll stay out until 8 p.m. on Wednesday evenings from now through Oct. 12.

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Boulabong Xiong with Woodinville Valley Farms was selling flowers inside the Market Wednesday, but says the extended hours will allow his family and farm to sell the produce they otherwise couldn’t sell at the flower stand they’ve been at for 27 years.

“We’ve got our locals that get off work late, and they want fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and they really don’t want to run to the supermarket,” Xiong says.

Downtown Seattle locals like Martin Rothwell are a prime target for the extended hours; he says he’s stayed away during weekends, preferring just to grab a quick lunch because of tourist traffic.

“I’ll grab it before work, or on a lunch break, but it’s typically too crowded during the day,” Rothwell says, “I picked the least popular fish place if you will, consciously, to avoid the long lines.”

Despite a new $73 million Pike Place Market Waterfront expansion, some vendors confided they worry about their future if local business isn’t secured.

"It's something new. It's something new for the city, try to bring the people out here," Chris Xiong with Woodinville Valley Farms says.

Cox Media Group