9 september 1968 & the florida avenue market

#OTD 9 September 1968 The farmers market (Neal St NE between 5th & 6th Sts), one block from Florida Avenue, offered Washingtonians a range of foodstuffs to purchase, including fruits and vegetables. It offered farmers an opportunity to sell their produce directly to customers. On Saturday 16 December 1967, a new indoor market opened and included new types of businesses, including restaurants. In March 1968, William Tilly opened up a fish market & raw bar with the help of a $16,000 Small Business Administration loan. As the below advertisement suggests, the market was in flux, seeking new merchants to sell their goods and promising promotion

Your comments are welcome below. Did you, family members or neighbors shop at the Florida Avenue market? Who was your favorite farmer, merchant? What kinds of things did you buy at the market? What did you think of the new indoor market? Did you sell goods at the market? Do you have photographs and other ephemera? You may comment privately here.

This story was written by Kiyem Ali. I thank him for finding this c1949 photograph of the market. We would love to find a photograph from 1968.
”SBA Money Goes Begging,” Evening Star 4 March 1968.