The Sweet Auburn Curb Market, on Edgewood Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia, strikes people in many different ways. It can be visualized as a piece of Atlanta’s history, a gathering place of community, or a convenient place to stop for lunch. Walking through the maze of booths, there is so much to see and to smell. As soon as you enter the market, the smells of grilled hamburgers and sweet popcorn fill your nose.
The environment symbolizes a warehouse with the visible, rustic piping and concrete flooring. The neatly decorated booths clearly advertise what they sell and are more professional looking than a typical market. The authentic decor at each station makes it unique from the rest and makes some stations more attractive than others depending on the shopper’s preference.
Throughout the building there are vendors that sell fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meat, and they even have a walk up pharmacy for convenience. As a visitor of Atlanta, the market is a must-see landmark, and it can easily be enjoyed from being surrounded by the smiling faces and freshly cooked food. On the other hand, booths like the pharmacy are more commonly visited by the community members as opposed to the Atlanta explorers. Families of Atlanta have relied on the market for decades in the case that they do not have the transportation to go to a grocery store. For some, the market is the only place where access to fresh food is available.
“Sweet Auburn Curb Market Photos.” Yelp. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. <http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sweet-auburn-curb-market-atlanta?start=120>.
In addition, the market is a place of reliance for people like Matt Hinton who works as a part time teacher and was not making enough money to support his family. The market gave him an opportunity to start his own restaurant, Bell Street Burritos. Since the market opened in 1924, it has given entrepreneurs like Matt a place where a new or small business can have the chance to be successful. The market provides an opportunity for vendors to have a stall as opposed to having to dedicate much more time and money to open a storefront. The stall allows someone to open their restaurant much sooner in the case that they do not have the resources to open their own store. This dual responsibility that the market has for its visitors allows people to realize how important having fresh foods is and the crucial role that the market plays in its community.
