La Marqueta

In its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, over 500 vendors operated out of La Marqueta,[1] and it was an important social and economic venue for Hispanic New York.

It was once possible to buy food, traditional medicines, recordings of Latin music, and supplies for charms and curses at La Marqueta.

[1] It was also the meeting place for the neighborhood after urban renewal displaced countless small businesses, replacing them with only large scale housing.

[3] The City of New York has repeatedly tried to revive La Marqueta but has failed to find a viable business model that also pleases local residents and politicians.

[5] In 2009, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the New York City Council issued a request for proposals for businesses to operate and maintain a 3,000 square foot commercial kitchen incubator in La Marqueta.