Reading Terminal Market
It opened originally in 1893 under the elevated train shed of the Reading Railroad Company after the city of Philadelphia advocated to move public markets from the streets into indoor facilities for both safety and sanitary reasons.
When the Center City Commuter Connection was completed in 1984, the Reading Terminal ceased operating as a train station, impacting foot traffic at the Market.
Presently, the Market still occupies the ground floor and basement levels of the Reading Terminal's former train shed which is now part of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Currently, the market is open every day of the week, although the Pennsylvania Dutch merchants (a small but significant minority) generally do not operate Sunday through Tuesday.
In 1859, city officials bowed to public pressure and dismantled all of them and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania chartered seventeen different market companies.
The Industrial Revolution brought with it the expansion of the railroad, and great palatial urban terminals sprang up in major cities.
Architect F. H. Kimbal of the Wilson Brothers Architecture & Engineering firm designed the Reading Railroad's headhouse terminal in 1891, prior to its opening in 1893.
The rails were elevated to reach the train shed platform built over top of the new consolidated market, which opened a year earlier.
The refrigeration system uses brine water and ammonia, and includes an array of specially designed pumps, compressors, and other equipment in its operation.
Business, already good, flourished with the innovation of a free market basket service, which allowed suburban housewives to get grocery orders delivered to and held at their nearest train station.
The Association was responsible for several promotional events including the first annual Food Show and Home Progress Exhibitions.
The Dock Street wholesale market was closed and demolished as part of the urban renewal program in Society Hill.
The RTMC and the PCCA continued the revitalization program begun by the Reading Company, recruiting new tenants and increasing promotion of the market.
The market serves as a popular location for local Philadelphians to buy their goods and produce as well as singular culinary treats and unique merchandise, and it is listed with such historic Philadelphia tourist destinations as Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.
[10] Philbert the pig, a sculpture by Eric Berg, is the Market's mascot and donations made to this 'piggy bank' go to support healthy eating programs at The Food Trust.
The market has been a filming location for several major motion pictures including Trading Places and National Treasure.
More specifically, one of the market's stands, Tommy DiNic's Beef and Pork, was featured on the Travel Channel show Man v. Food as well as Adam Richman's Best Sandwich in America.
