More scenes from the City Market - in February 2010

Just past the entrance to the City Market, on the right is the Steamboat Arabia exhibit. It was there that my family once had their business.

My family owned a wholesale produce business for nearly 85 years. The "Steamboat Arabia" exhibit now occupies the exact spot where our business was located. The KC River Market holds a special place in my heart. Living here is, in a way, like going back home.

There is one very special Palestinian grocery store and deli. Fatima is always there waiting behind the register. She and I have become good friends - she knows in advance what I want depending upon the day. Gyro, Baba-Ganoush, or Falafel.

Planters Seed Co. has been around even before my family started their produce business. I enjoy going into this establishment and picking out teas, and fresh seeds for spring planting.

And my favorite part of the River Market, the Asian grocery stores and resturants are everywhere.

Kim Long's restaurant used to be Jennies Italian Restaurant.

When I was a child, the River Market was called City Market. It was simply wholesale and farmers, very little retail. The major wholesale operations were owned by Sicilians and Jews. Farmers came from what is called the West Bottoms located west along the river close to the General Mills plant and Paseo Bridge, and around the outlying areas such as Independence and Raytown which back then had many farms.

The demographics of the City Market changed to Asian shortly after the war in Vietnam ended and many Asians came to the USA. It has been a rewarding experience for me to witness the birth of this new "cultural exchange" in my city. The town fathers decided to "market" the City Market and changed the name to River Market. The entire Downtown area of KC has been "marketed" given their own "district name" as it where. The River Market District is only a few blocks from the "Garment District" where my office is located along with many lofts which have been created out of what once was clothing manufacturing operations.

China Town Market has nearly everything you can want including Fresh Fish prepared to order.

However for certain specific Asian foods such as Thai or Vietnamese one has to go to Vuong or Little Saigon. For Japanese and Korean one has to go into Overland Park Kansas. Just of 103rd and Metcalf there is a Japanese/Korean specialty grocery store. Well worth the drive if your craving Japanese or Korean foods.