rev:text
| - The West Side Market is a staple of Cleveland, Ohio. Whether you've lived in northeast Ohio your entire life or are just in for a weekend visit, the WSM should be on your list of 'Things to do in Cleveland'.
I used to live in the suburbs of Cleveland, so coming to the WSM was a novelty. Some of my fondest memories are the little morning trips we would take out here as kids. We'd go to the candy shop for the candy cigarettes (which is no longer there, sad), get some smokies, and pick up a dessert or two.
Now that I live in downtown Cleveland, I have become more dependent on the WSM to deliver me all of my meat and produce needs. It's now to the point where I cannot buy bacon at a grocery store, because it does not live up to the thick, juicy slices of The Pork Chop Shop. Same goes for jerky - the processed, vacuum-sealed bags just don't cut it when you compare it to J&J Meats or Sebastian's Meats. I also prefer to buy most of my raw meat from Pinzone's. I will never forget the day I went in there, mid-snow storm, to get my grocery shopping done. They thanked me for braving the storm and shopping local that day. No sir, thank you for deciding to be open on that day!
I do have a few qualms about WSM. While I love that it is such a landmark for Cleveland that brings in people from all over the area, it really sucks for the non-tourists to get stuck behind the foot traffic of those that are just window watching. I have a mission when I get to the market and it is to get in, get my groceries, get out. I can't say the same for all.
Not only is the foot traffic bad, but the vehicle traffic is insane, especially on Saturdays. If you don't get there before 8:30/9 on Saturday, good luck finding parking. You may end up spending more time looking for a parking spot than the time you spend shopping at the market. They really need to look into building a garage of some sort where the current lot is.
But in the end, my message is this: Support the local economy and shop the West Side Market!
|