USPS Publication Number 16300
THE
SUMMATIONWeeklyy
This Community Newspaper is a publication of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association
S E RV I N G T H E F I RS T J U D I C I A L C I RC U I T Vol. 23, No. 13
March 29, 2023
SummationWeekly.com
1 Section, 8 Pages
Section A, Page 1
the world of small business. When talking with people who are taking the first steps to becoming an entrepreneur, he likes to ask, “have you started at the Palafox Market?” Having been a business owner in Pensacola himself, he boasts the benefits of vending at the Palafox Market; it’s a place to test products, figure out what is working and determine what needs to be improved. Ac c o rd i ng t o D ow nt ow n Improvement Board (DIB) Executive Director Walker Wilson and Mayor Reeves, there is a waiting list in excess of 60 vendors looking to participate in the Palafox Market. Expanding the market from its current location at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza to include a neighboring site at Plaza Ferdinand could increase the market’s revenue by about 80 percent. “I think, at the end of the day, we also have 60 people that want to have small businesses. We say we
want to help small businesses and help cultivate entrepreneurship, economic development, things like that. I think this presents a great opportunity for us,” Reeves explained. With the first reading of the proposed ordinance changed approved, this change and the interlocal agreement with the DIB will move to a second reading at a later date, where it will then be voted on for final approval. Be sure to stop by the Palafox Market hosted on Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm in the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on North Palafox Street, between Chase and Gregory streets. For the latest updates on the Palafox Market’s potential expansion, visit cityofpensacola.com. For more on the Palafox Market, visit palafoxmarket.com or follow @PensacolaPalafoxMarket on Facebook and Instagram. ■
PALAFOX MARKET SOUTH THE POPULAR OUTDOOR MARKET EYES EXPANSION
By Gillian Rabold
A
s we head into March, the official countdown to spring begins. Spring brings warm weekend brunches and Saturday morning trips to the Palafox Market. For more than 15 years, the Palafox Market has been a shining gem in our community for locals and visitors alike. Today, the Palafox Market continues to thrive and has grown to include nearly 150 local vendors selling everything from fresh produce, live plants, flowers and baked goods to local meats, handmade soaps and candles, antiques, collectibles and more. The market’s tremendous growth has recently prompted the need for more outdoor space in order to accommodate both the crowd and the extensive waiting list of local vendors wanting to participate in the weekly market.
In an agenda conference on February 6, newly elected Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves and other city officials kicked off efforts to officially expand the Palafox Market into neighboring Plaza Ferdinand aiming to cultivate a stronger, thriving small business community in Pensacola. Plaza Ferdinand, located off Palafox Street between East Government and Zaragoza streets, is a historical monument known for setting the scene of the 1821 transfer of Florida from Spain to the United States. Over the years, the plaza has served as a lovely, green space to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of historic Pensacola. However, following a festival that left the plaza damaged in September 1987, the City Council passed a city ordinance restricting the use of the plaza with the purpose of preserving its beauty and rich history.
Reeves made the case to council members that it is possible to preserve the history and beauty of the park while also using it as an asset to make the city more economically and culturally vibrant. “You’re walking between two different markets and you’re stopping in other places along the way,” Reeves said. “It can have a catalytic effect on our vibrancy downtown, as well as all the help to small businesses.” On February 9, the Pensacola City Council unanimously approved the first official reading of an ordinance that would allow the Palafox Market to expand to Plaza Ferdinand, allowing for up to 80 additional small business owners to sell their items each Saturday at the downtown market. Reincorporating the plaza into a more active location for community events would draw in more foot traffic and create an even larger small business community within its walls. If the Palafox Market extends into Plaza Ferdinand, the extension will mark a significant change to the multi decade-long dormant life of the plaza. The market’s expansion would be able to accommodate up to 80 vendors, alleviating the heavy list of businesses waiting in anticipation to partake in the market’s hustle and bustle of serving the local community. Mayor Reeves, an entrepreneur himself, describes the Palafox Market as a great “pilot program” for those just beginning to navigate
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