Soulard Farmers Market

Soulard Farmers Market is the oldest operating public market in St. Louis, Missouri in the Soulard neighborhood, and the only one operated by the city. It has a reputation of being the oldest public market in the United States west of the Mississippi River.

The market is open from Wednesday through Saturday all year, and Saturdays are the busiest days. Soulard Market has more than 140 vendors. The Grand Hall shops contain permanent stores that include bakeries, butcher shops, florists, and a spice shop, among others.

The vendors sell a variety of goods, such as fresh produce, fish, cheese, soap, and handicrafts. Oftentimes, the vendors have stall leases passed down through multiple generations. Parking (free and metered), a playground, a park, and a plaza are in close proximity. On Saturday mornings, a local chef creates a dish with items from the local produce. Many vendors are only present on Saturdays.

Several studies were conducted at Soulard Farmers Market, where both wholesale and retail sales occurred. It was noted that as in other "farmers" markets, most vendors were not farmers, but rather merchants who purchased wholesale produce. They usually procure their fruits and vegetables from Produce Row, which is a wholesale market in the city.