Explore Detroit’s Eastern Market

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Detroit’s Eastern Market is a happening place to buy food, meet friends for a meal, and enjoy a variety of music. Read on to discover the history and uncover great finds at Detroit’s Eastern Market. 
While the sun rises, imagine hearing the clip-clop noises in sync with wheels from a buggy with sounds of ‘woah, stop’ while hundreds of vendors start setting up their produce for the day. I envision rows of horse carriages waiting for their owners to start selling goods to people looking for fresh food at Detroit Eastern Market .
In the 1860s, people rode horse carriages to get around. There were no freeways, and a nearby area, now called the Dequindre Cut, was once a railway station. Fast forward to the present, and the market is still the place to be, minus the horse carriages. Yes, Detroit’s Eastern Market has turned into a happening place to buy food, meet friends for a meal, and enjoy a variety of music, such as blues, sung by single and group musicians on various corners of the market.
Exploring the Detroit Eastern Market
Hanging flower baskets, pint-size baskets of blueberries and cherries, and cheese samples at various tables inside an open-air shed is where roughly 45,000 people buy fresh goods at the Saturday market yearly. Going to Detroit Eastern Market is always a highlight for me when I come home for a visit. I enjoy wandering around and watching a crowd filled with energy, listening to laughter from all corners while deciding which produce and other goodies to buy. My list this time included some peach-flavored jam from an Amish farm and one of my favorite brands of coffee, Detroit Bold, with its dark roast kick.
While I have gone to the market for years, I’ve never considered its history or how it began. So, I decided to book a tour with Preservation Detroit , which offered a two-hour walking tour that included the history of the market and the surrounding area.
Sweet cherries at one of the stalls. Photo by Erin Coyle
Detroit Eastern Market History
Detroit Eastern Market is the largest open-air market in the United States. When the market opened downtown in the late 1800s, this was the central market. However, it started to overwhelm the city of Detroit, so the market was split into Eastern and Western markets. When the city bought the I-96 freeway, Eastern Market became the primary market. In the early 1970s, big stores ran the small markets out of business.
In the late ’70s, the city didn’t know what to do with the market, but it managed to stay alive. Detroit is known for its resilience—it always makes a comeback because of the community’s hope and commitment to keeping the city alive. In the ’90s, the city of Detroit brought someone in to run the market, and today, it is growing and thriving. It was always a farmers market, but now there’s also a flea market, a giant flower day in May, and special Sunday events, including a book sale.
This is an entrance to one of the sheds. Photo by Erin Coyle
The Market Layout
There are six sheds, and Shed One is the oldest. One shed has four sections, with roughly seven to eight vendors in each area selling various products, such as jams, herbs, flowers, and pastries. Visitors will also learn that other shops are included in Eastern Market, but they are just outside the sheds, especially the shops on Market Street—one of the oldest blocks in the market.
An example of the inside of a shed. Photo by Erin Coyle
Market Street
One company, Devries & Co , formally known as Hertz, started in 1893 and sold only butter and milk. Later, when it was Devries, it mainly sold cheese. In addition to over 200 types of cheese, including cranberry, they now sell oils and spices, such as vanilla. Visitors can buy coffee, tea, and Michigan-made products, including coasters.
The outside of Devries & Co., formally Hertz. Photo by Erin Coyle
Murals
We learned that the market and the surrounding area is becoming a place to meet friends, have food, and hang out at the various bars that have been popping up. There are also 150 murals around the market, bringing buildings to life and leaving messages of hope and joy, such as the ‘Nothing Stops Detroit’ mural. Another one that caught my attention was a woman, reminding me of a Goddess painted in sky blue, red, and moss, surrounded by black and white spiral flower-like images, maybe of animals. The mural was a lovely backdrop for the brick building.
One of the murals near Orleans Street. Photo by Erin Coyle
Other Tour Stops
Another street, Orleans, had the most significant number of meat shops. Grobbel’s is the largest processor of corned beef, while Berry and Sons sells Halal meat. Halal is the term in Islam that describes how one kills an animal. Both shops are still operating. These are two buildings I had never noticed in the years I had been visiting the market.
I also enjoyed learning about the area around the market on the tour, such as Dequindre Cut. Once a railroad line, the city took one side to make a 2.5-mile biking and walking path. On the weekends, they have pop-up bars, yoga, food, and more. The area is about a ten-minute walk from Detroit’s Eastern Market.
Visitors can bike and walk along the Dequindre Cut. Photo by Erin Coyle
Gratiot Central Market
I was impressed with Gratiot Central Market, another place I had never visited. In the 1950s, the building had a bowling alley on the second floor until a fire destroyed it. The market reopened, and I was surprised at how big it was, resembling the size of a football field. They had various butcher counters, including ribs, which I noted to make sure to return while I was still home. They also sell seafood. I kept looking at the different counters in every direction and watching the crowds gravitate to them. I wondered why I had never thought to come inside this shop before.
The outside of Gratiot Central Market. Photo by Erin Coyle
St. Joseph’s Church
Our last stop on the tour included St. Joseph’s Church. Completed in 1873 by a German contractor, this church still conducts mass, and they used to have a German mass. Many come here for its stained-glass windows. When walking inside, you can immediately see the turquoise, red, and cobalt colors on the windows. Just across the street is the annual Oktoberfest party.
The stained-glass windows at St. Joseph’s Church. Photo by Erin Coyle
Vendors
After the tour, I wanted to go back and do some shopping. I headed to Detroit Bold , in the middle of Shed One. The shop said they opened in 2009 and started selling the coffee at the market because the company wanted to be where the community was.
N.W. Kaltz and Sons Farms in Shed One is a farm that sells flowers, herbs, and vegetables. One of the sons said he is the fourth generation, and his family used to come to the market by horse and buggy. He told me that each generation continues the tradition of selling here.
My mom enjoys Countryside Jams, an Amish farm selling at the market for fifty years. Peach is her go-to choice, but they have a variety of other flavors, including Blackberry and Elderberry. I bought their spicy, smoky cheddar bacon pretzels, and the salty and spicy combination hit the spot.
Countryside Jams has a good selection. Photo by Erin Coyle
Food
Head to People’s Pierogi Collective in Shed Five. My favorite pierogi is the spinach and artichoke. I also recommend opting for the side of sauerkraut. They also sell smoked sausage. There is always a long line, which indicates a sign of some tasty food. There are a few food trucks, including Mexican and Beignets. While I’ve never tried either because I’m usually full from Pierogis, they are always busy.
Germack
Across the street from Shed Five is Germack . In addition to scones and cookies, visitors can also buy nuts, spices, and a variety of teas and coffees. They roast their coffee beans on-site. Try the Chili Mexican, which consists of espresso, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and steamed chocolate milk. The spice is a nice kick.
One can buy a variety of items at Germack. Photo by Erin Coyle
Roma Cafe
Drive five minutes away from the sheds for Italian food at Roma Café—one of the market’s oldest buildings and Italian restaurants. It was a bordering house in the 1860s, but the food was so good that people told the owner she should open a restaurant, which she eventually did. Although it closed briefly, the restaurant reopened in 2017 under a new name, Amore Da Roma .
Roma Cafe is the oldest building in Eastern Market. Photo by Erin Coyle
Shop Local
One could easily spend several hours shopping and wandering around the area. As Detroit Eastern Market continues to expand, it was an enriching experience learning about its deep history and the surrounding area. I have a new appreciation for the market and am happy to see it thriving. It is lovely to see the hustle and bustle of patrons visiting. The market brings people together to support and shop locally.
This is one of 150 murals around the market. Photo by Erin Coyle
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Details About Visiting Detroit’s Eastern Market
The market is open on Saturdays from 7 am to 4 pm, Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm, and Tuesdays from 9 am to 3 pm. The Saturday market starts to get busy after 10 am. Let  Wander With Wonder be your guide to exploring Michigan and other parts of the Midwest .
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Explore Detroit’s Eastern Market
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