The journey has been anything but smooth for the Madison Public Market.
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Keisha Harrison, left, the CEO of the Madison Public Market, and Anya Firszt, president of the market’s foundation and longtime general manager of Willy Street Co-op, take in the still under-construction market last week ahead of its official opening on Thursday. Up to 11 businesses will be ready when the doors open, with six more opening in the coming weeks and months. Officials continue to work on filling the remaining spaces in the 45,000-square-foot facility at the corner of East Johnson and North First streets.
Madison studied several sites for the Madison Public Market before deciding to locate it in the former Fleet Services building in 2018. The building features multiple pieces of public art inside and outside.
While the Madison Public Market opens on Thursday, much work still remains for other businesses waiting to move in.
Financial contributors to the $24 million Madison Public Market are recognized on a sign inside the new market, which opens Thursday after more than 20 years of planning and delays.
Madison Public Market chief executive officer Keisha Harrison, left, and Madison Public Market Foundation president Anya Firszt in the TruStage MarketReady Hall, which can hold just over 600 people for events. The artwork above was commissioned by the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and created by Madison artist Steph Hagens.
Three cisterns each with a capacity of 6,500 gallons collect rainwater from the roof, which is used to flush toilets in the Madison Public Market. The cisterns are located in the 9,000-square-foot TruStage MarketReady Hall.
The space on the left, on the south side of the Madison Public Market, is being readied for Little Tibet, a family-owned restaurant offering Tibetan and Himalayan tribal cuisine.
Sarah Dawson sells yarn last week at a pop-up market at the Madison Public Market. On Thursday, she will open Isthmus Yarns, a permanent yarn store in the market and the only yarn store in the city.
Madison Public Market CEO Keisha Harrison, left, and Madison Public Market Foundation president Anya Firszt make their way toward a mezzanine level at the soon-to-be-opened market. The mural was created by Tyanna Buie, who recently created an installation for the Obama Presidential Center.
Outdoor furniture and umbrellas await placement on a patio along the North First Street side of the Madison Public Market. This space will be home to a bar operated by the Madison Public Market. Construction on the bar will begin in the coming weeks and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
