The Uptown Market: Coming Your Way Summer 2009

Word on the street is that initial plans for an arts, crafts, and farmer’s market are in the works. The Uptown Market is tentatively scheduled for the third Sunday of every month between June and September. According to the website, “the Uptown Market is a venue to enhance the quality of life for the community through the gathering of local artisans, craftspeople, small business owners, area farmers, and neighbors.” The Uptown Market will also provide outreach opportunities for community organizations.

The Uptown Market is the project of Minneapolis resident Roxie Speth. I don’t know Speth, but it appears that she’s a prolific crafter, and was presumably inspired by the larger crafts movement (as seen on sites such as etsy) that is sweeping the nation. She envisions something modeled after Seattle’s Fremont Market. I have my doubts as to how feasible it is to get this off the ground and running, but am cautiously optimistic that it will turn out to be a wild success. It’s an interesting concept, and certainly worth pursuing.

So where will this Uptown Market be held? While the site isn’t yet firm, the expected location will be at 29th Street, between Lyndale and Dupont. And that, really, is the only thing that slightly bothers me. Or, more accurately, it’s the potential disconnect between the name and the location that I find jarring. Is 29th and Lyndale Uptown? There is no clear answer. Some people believe the Lyn-Lake area to be a subsection of Uptown, while others are adamant that it is its own distinct location. My views are starting to slightly shift; while I still consider Lyn-Lake to be its own entity, I acknowledge that to those outside of the greater Uptown area that the distinctions between the two are fuzzy or non-existent. The two areas do overlap, and I sometimes cover Lyn-Lake issues or places in this “Uptown” blog. Still, I do think that the name deserves careful consideration, especially given that Lyn-Lake is currently in the final stages of putting together their own Small Area Plan. It’s possible that the choice of a different name, perhaps the Lyn-Lake Market, would better brand both the Market and its location.

In the grand scheme of things, of course, the choice of a name isn’t the important thing. The larger point here is that there are active, involved people who are working to implement their creative vision for the benefit of the community. I’ll be following the developments on the Uptown Market front with great interest, and look forward to the day when I can wander down the streets of Uptown (or Lyn-Lake) on a sunny summer day to purchase some locally-grown carrots directly from the grower.