Fruits, Vegetables Sprout at New Market

A few doors from the twisted metal beams and charred fruits and vegetables that mark the remains of the once-thriving Farmers Bazaar downtown, a temporary marketplace has sprung up--one that merchants hope will lure back lost customers.

A warehouse adjacent to the century-old building containing the Farmers Bazaar, which burned down last week, is being transformed into a marketplace.

“A bit of myself went up with the flames, but I adjust quickly,” said Tom Hom, who owns the block containing both sites. “We hope to make it permanent, but we have to call it temporary until we can meet specifications.”

Emotional Transition

The transition was smooth but “difficult because of the emotions involved,” Hom said.

The former building, on the north side of L Street between 7th and 8th avenues, was home to four restaurants, a fish market, a flower shop, a barbershop and a bakery, in addition to the produce market that had become a downtown institution during its 13 years of operation.

The four-alarm fire May 23 consumed half a city block and was caused by an electrical problem, investigators said. Hom estimated losses at $2.5 million.

The county health department approved the temporary facility last Friday, and “within an hour we were selling again,” said George May, market manager.

“We don’t have everybody back, of course,” May said. “Right now, we’ve got 40% of our normal traffic. We’re sad that we lost the old building . . . but we’re ready to go on.”

The way Richard (the Fruitman) Blumberg sees it, last week’s fire wasn’t a total loss.

“I feel it’s a tragedy on one hand, a blessing on the other,” he said.

Blumberg handpicks his fruit at the market for his door-to-door delivery service. He believes the newer, better-ventilated warehouse will yield higher-quality produce.

“More air comes through here. It’s bigger, too,” Blumberg said.

But times are not so good for Shine Lee, owner of Continental Produce. After the fire, she moved her fruit and vegetable business across the street and is not located in the temporary bazaar. Business at her new location is “so-so,” she said. She estimated her fire losses at $550,000.

Getting the Word Out

Valentin Sebastian Torres, whose family floral business is in the new site, said it is only a matter of time before business picks up. “A lot of people don’t know that we’re here,” he said.

“I think we have a special attachment with our customers,” said bazaar manager May. “Our building was very nostalgic. The one term I keep hearing is, ‘Thank God you’re bringing this back.’ It used to be elbow to elbow” in the old building.

Customers at the temporary bazaar Thursday seemed to like the new surroundings. About half of the 25,000-square-foot warehouse is occupied by two produce vendors and a florist. May has no timetable for bringing back the other vendors, since building requirements have not yet been determined. The facility had been used for car storage, Hom said.

Besides the low prices, the bazaar features a variety of common and exotic fruits and vegetables, many not found in grocery chains.

‘Love This Place’

“I was very happy when I heard the same (owners) were going to (re)open,” said Mahari Abraha, a cabdriver and customer for the past two years. “It’s important for low-income families. I love this place. It’s not only cheap, but there will always be something I can get here that I can’t at the supermarket.”

Abraha said he came to buy three items but had already filled four plastic bags with produce.

Sybil McPhatter, who answers, “Senior citizen” when asked her age, said she has been a regular shopper since the original bazaar opened. “The old one was part of tradition,” she said. “It brought the old town and downtown together. It was good for the senior citizens” who are on fixed incomes, she said.

Shopping at the bazaar is habitual for many of its customers. Raul Gutierrez, 35, of San Diego shopped with his family at the bazaar every week, but this was his first visit since the fire.

“We’re accustomed to shopping in one place,” he said. “This is where we buy all our groceries. . . . We like this place better than the old place.”