Fun facts about Seattle’s Pike Place Market to celebrate its 114th birthday

What started as a small meeting in Seattle is now the largest continuously operating market in the United States

SEATTLE – One of Seattle’s most iconic landmarks turns 114 on Tuesday.

On August 17, 1907, only about 10 farmers came to Pike Place Market with their carts full of fresh produce to sell on the rainy morning of the opening day, but the market’s popularity spread quickly. Within a week, 70 farmers sold their goods in the market.

Today, Pike Place Market is home to over 500 small businesses, around 450 residents, 300 street musicians, and six social services.

Here are a few fun facts about Pike Place Market and its history to celebrate its 114 year milestone:

– The oldest store on Pike Place Market is the Virginia Inn, a restaurant on First Avenue and Virginia Street. It started in 1903 before the market opened in 1907.

– Three Girls Bakery was the very first Seattle company to be run entirely by women. It opened in 1912.

– The iconic neon sign and clock were installed in 1937.

>> Download the KING 5’s Roku and Amazon Fire apps to view live news and on-demand videos

– In 1969, the Seattle City Council decided to demolish the market. It unanimously approved a plan for the urban renewal of the market, which provided for a seven-story parking garage and high-rise apartments. But the public revolted and a grassroots effort eventually brought the issue to a public vote and voters agreed to save the market. In an effort to save the market, the Friends of the Market group was founded, which is still in existence today.

– Approximately 225 local artists sell their handicrafts and artwork at Pike Place Market each year. The market’s artisan community offers one of the largest selections of handicrafts in the Pacific Northwest.

– The smallest store in the market on First Avenue is La Vaca Burrito Express, which is just 60 square feet.

– Approximately 85 local farmers sell dozens of different crops / agricultural products. Most of the farms are in the Puget Sound area, but some are from east Washington. Almost half of the farmers in recent years came from Laos or Cambodia in Southeast Asia. Some farmers also come from Mexico.

RELATED: Pike Place Market Holds Our Hearts: How It Started, Where It’s Going

– There are 400 apartments in the market that can accommodate around 500 people. It is a mixed income neighborhood, with units for many low-income, elderly, or disabled residents, and market-price apartments and condominiums for those with higher incomes.

– Pike Place Market is also home to a senior citizen center, medical clinic, childcare center, blackboard, and a facility for assisted seniors. The Market Foundation is an organization that raises money to pay the operating costs for these services. Social services serve all people regardless of their solvency.

– In pre-pandemic times, more than 15 million people visit Pike Place Market each year.

– Over a dozen languages ​​are spoken and written in the market, including Spanish, Chinese, Hmong, Vietnamese, Hindi, Tagalog, Turkish, Russian, German, Japanese, French, and Arabic.