There have been talks of a Madison Public Market for years but with obstacles such as rising construction costs and the pandemic, funding from the City has been stalled.
At long last —
The county’s 2023 budget, including $4.5 million in additional funding for the Madison Public Market project to move forward, has been approved by Madison Common Council.
So, what now?
With the necessary funding finally approved, the market is projected to open its doors in early 2024, a bit of a delay from the initial hope of a 2021 opening. The corner of North First St. + East Johnson will be home to this long-awaited development.
The Madison Public Market hopes to serve as an incubator for small businesses — with a focus on minority-owned businesses — to grow + accelerate. Affordable rent and commercial-grade kitchen spaces could support vendors in serving 500,000+ potential customers every year.
