LA PROFILE-It was 3 pm and I left the movie theater after seeing what, for me, was the best film I have seen in my life. I reflected that as an end to the movie the protagonist could have stabbed the corpse in the heart with their knife. In real life that is probably what happened. The movie is based on factual events.
From there I bought a cup of lemonade and got into a long conversation with an old guy who has been coming to Farmers Market since he was a kid. We talked for a couple hours about the transition of the market over the years although it seems timeless.
I wondered about its origins.
In the 1930s two entrepreneurs, Roger Dahlhjelm and Fred Beck, trying to make the best of the Depression, approached landowner and oil man E. B. Gilmore with An Idea. Perhaps they were attracted by Gilmore’s marketing flair or perhaps it was his expansive acreage in close proximity to the booming Los Angeles community.
Whatever the motivation, they envisioned a “Village Square” where artisans would sell handmade goods – pottery, furniture, textiles. Their stalls would surround a central market where farmers would sell their produce to locals. They had architectural renderings and a vast vision. Gilmore had a large vacant field.
In July 1934 a contingent of farmers pulled their trucks onto the expanse of empty land at the property known as Gilmore Island at the corner of Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles. They displayed their produce on the tailgates of their vehicles and to their delight customers quickly arrived and parked their cars on a hastily created dirt parking lot in spaces designated with chalk. They strolled among the trucks purchasing fruit, vegetables and flowers.
The atmosphere was casual, the open air commerce enticing, the goods fresh, and the result remarkable. Farmers Market became an instant institution.
The concept of elaborate architecture gave way to wooden stalls, and the vast vision gave way to a modest business approach. Farmers were charged a mere 50 cents per day but the idea had a power and life of its own.
Farmers market surpassed the vision which launched it. By the time the decade lapsed the gross was greater than predictions but commercial volume was the least of the Market’s achievements.
Farmers Market became the central meeting place for Angelenos and is still one of the most common phrases in the city. It also became, and remains, the must-see tourist attraction in Southern California.
Later I wrapped myself around a plate of red beans and plantains from the Brazilian café. I told the old geezer about the time I was on the bus with tourists from Colorado who were trying to find the Grove to have dinner. I advised them to eat at the Farmers Market instead and even rode out of my way to make sure they got here OK. I advised that the Grove is a place you dine on special occasions such as Mother’s Day or anniversaries.
When we got to the market they agreed and each visitor satisfied their taste. They then shared and compared. We all talked and laughed a lot.
The bakery shops offer tempting treats one can only find at the market. In one little corner of the market Dupar’s has a superb bakery stuck into a back display. The other shops within the market satisfy everybody’s taste. The other day I found a real classy wine bar. I would have stopped and indulged but my New Year’s resolution is only to drink wine on two occasions – when I am alone or when I am with others.
The old guy and I also talked about the Pan Pacific Auditorium and Gilmore Field home of the old Hollywood Stars minor league baseball team. The Pan Pacific Auditorium was also where USC and UCLA played their home basketball games. We talked about Phillippe’s, the Pantry, Musso and Frank’s, HMS Bounty restaurants and all the traditional places in Southern Cal. These are great but none compare with the atmosphere of the market.
The drawback to Farmers Market is that it is not open all night. Dupar’s Restaurant is the only establishment that is 24 hours. Otherwise there are tons of small restaurants and shops to fill every taste. There are music, performing arts, community, and social events every day of the year.
The fruits and vegetables are great. I have wondered whether these are grown in Central California and trucked in. We are unable to grow such bountiful produce here in Los Angeles. All meats, fish and poultry are also beyond comparison.
As part of an expansion and reconstruction project in 1941, Farmers Market became the home of the Clock Tower with the words “An Idea” inscribed on the tower. At the turn of the millennium, the one-time dairy farm adapted once again. Following years of careful planning several acres were developed into an amazingly popular shopping and entertainment venue – the Grove.
The adjacent Grove was developed by Rick Caruso … chief honcho of Caruso Affiliated Holdings … and features a wonderful array of stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and a streetscape that is inviting and friendly specifically designed for strolling.
Caruso is exploring an extension of the trolleys running in the Grove through an adjacent portion of Los Angeles connecting the Los Angeles Museum, the anticipate Metro Line extension, the planned Academy of Motion Pictures, the Beverly Center, and Wilshire Blvd. This will definitely add to the magic of Farmer’s Market and the Grove.
Caruso says “Other cities have great streetcar lines that function very effectively. We are optimistic about finding out a way to get this done in our backyard.”
Now entering its eight decade as one of the most popular places anywhere in the states, Farmers Market remains “An Idea” whose time has come.
Oh, before I go, the movie I referred to up front is Zero Dark Thirty.
(Kay Martin is an author and a CityWatch contributor. His new book, Along for the Ride, is now available. He can be reached at [email protected])
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 11 Issue 92
Pub: Nov 15, 2013