Friends of the Market Newsletter

October 2019

At the special request of Friends of the Market (FoM) President Kate Krafft, this reminder appears front and center:

Friends of the Market Annual Meeting: Sunday, November 10th

                 It’s on a new day, at a different time, but at a favorite place!

This year’s meeting will be held, as previously, at The Pink Door; but we will be meeting on a Sunday at noon. (It will be good to be able to come and go in the daylight!)

Program Presenters

This year’s speakers, Spencer Howard and Katie Pratt, are co-founders of Northwest Vernacular Historic Preservation Consulting. Their website proclaims “We love old buildings.” Their services help with the preservation, reuse and interpretation of historic properties. Spencer and Katie will speak on the place of the Showbox in Pike Place Market history.

Board Members: New...

Also on the agenda is the election of new Board-members. There are four members whose terms expire this year. I am one of them, and have been nominated to serve another term. Here is a brief introduction to the other three candidates.

Mary Figel has 20 years’ experience working in program management and marketing for both non-profit and for-profit entities. She has been an active volunteer with many organizations, including the University of Washington, Common Purpose, and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Mary is eager to share her marketing and advocacy skills with FoM.

Duncan Thieme was born and raised in Seattle. He received his BA and MA degrees from the Yale School of Architecture. As an architect with SRG Partnership, Duncan became very familiar with the Market when he was principal in charge of the Market renovation and seismic upgrades completed in 2012. (These were the changes that gave the Market the much-needed new bathrooms!)

Shannon Wells, as an employee of the Showbox, is a neighbor of the Market. She received her MA in Arts Leadership from Seattle University. A co-founder and coordinator of Friends of the Showbox, Shannon has advocated for preservation of the Showbox since it was first threatened by development.

Thanks to the Nominating Committee, comprised of Kate Krafft, Carla Richardson, Joan Singler, Sara Patton and Jill Ryan who sought out these qualified and willing candidates.

...And Old

A special THANKS to our out-going Board-members Paul, John and Joan. Their years of service to FoM, when added together, span nearly three-quarters of a century.

Paul Dunn, as a resident in the Market, has the unique perspective of one who calls the Market “home”. He has worn many hats in service to the Market; among them, Director of the Merchant Association, and Chair of the Market Historical Commission. Paul has been a pillar of strength for FoM, writing the newsletter for years, and being constantly on the look-out for new members to keep the organization vital and growing.

John Ogliore joined FoM in 1998 and came on the FoM Board In 2002. He helped catalog the art in the Market and was instrumental in setting up the FoM Art/History Tours. John served six years on the Market Historical Commission. A diligent volunteer, John shares his time and his wonderful speaking-voice, recording for Books for the Blind.

Joan Singler is married to Ed Singler, who helped develop the Save the Market Initiative, but Joan is a stalwart Market supporter in her own right. She helped with the petition drive, gathering signatures that put the Initiative on the ballot. She has been on the FoM Board for almost 20 years. Joan helped extensively with the FoM 50th Anniversary celebrations in 2014, and has been an organizing force behind the FoM’s annual meetings.

All three will be sorely missed on the FoM Board, but we hope for their continued presence at annual meetings (and maybe for special projects, too?)

Gum Wall Cleaning

If you’ve been in Post Alley recently, it may have seemed that something is missing and you’d be right! There is a dearth of gum on the gum wall, the result of an annual cleaning. Each fall, it takes about a week of low power, hot water pressure-washing to safely clean the ton of gum off the wall. For fans of the gum wall: not to worry! This year’s supply is already accumulating, complete with initials and dollops in all the usual places.

New Concierge Program

Fall is the season—after the summer frenzy has passed—for locals to reconnect with the Market. To facilitate this, the PDA is sponsoring a new concierge program for various residential buildings in the area. At these “Meet the Market” events, vendors and Market enthusiasts showcase all that the Market has to offer, luring locals to come and see for themselves. Presentations have been held at Harbor Steps, the Newmark and other venues. Visits are planned for Premiere on Pine, Parc Condo, and the Olivian.

Facebook Community

It may be a historical place, but Pike Place Market is reaching out in new ways, too. In July, a “Locals Only Pike Place Market Community” was started on Facebook.  Members share stories, news, historical insights and just plain fun! Search for the group on Facebook.com.

Costumes on the Cobblestones

The first of the fall holiday celebrations is in the planning. The second annual “Costumes on the Cobblestones” will be held on Saturday, October 26th, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Daytables and storefronts will be dressed up in style (there’s a competition!) There will be a costume parade, apple cider, and new pop-up murals for photo ops. Come and enjoy!

Final Reminder

Lastly, don’t forget:
Friends of the Market Annual Meeting, Sunday, November 10th, The Pink Door, at noon.
Hope to see you there!

As always, questions, comments and suggestions are welcome at my email address below.

 

Written by Christine Vaughan, cvaughan44@icloud.com