The first 10 vendors in Liberty Public Market, a 22,000-square-foot artisan mecca in Liberty Station under construction and due to open in late October, were revealed July 23 during a noontime Artisan Reveal Pop-Up in Building 1 at 2816 Historic Decatur Road in Liberty Station.
The market, which could ultimately house some 30 tenants, presently includes Liberty Meat Shop, old-school butchers; The WestBean Coffee Roasters, micro-batch coffee roasters; Fully Loaded Juice, offering raw, organic cold-pressed juice; Venissimo Cheese, featuring cheeses from around the world; Pho Realz, Southeast Asian street food purveyors; Wicked Maine Lobster, introducing North Atlantic menu mainstays; MooTime Creamery, premium handcrafted ice cream; Mastiff Sausage, handcrafted sausage sandwiches and subs; Cane Patch Pies, a family-owned bakery; and Cecilia’s Taqueria, gourmet tacos and regional Mexican cuisine.
“These are the ones that are already on board,” said Coronado restaurateur David Spatafore of Blue Bridge Hospitality. The originator of the Liberty Market concept, Spatafore was on hand to greet guests during the vendor “sneak peek.”
“This (market) is supposed to be a celebration of the culture we have here,” he said. “We want people to experience what food and culture the town has.”
Spatafore noted the intent of the Public Market is to create a regional draw and help make Liberty Station a must-see destination.
“It will be like nothing else we have in San Diego,” said Spatafore, who added the new market’s emphasis will be on local or regional vendors showcasing locally made and produced goods.
Tommy “The Butcher” Battaglia, one new market tenant, is the son of a downtown butcher who has been into the wholesale end of the business and is now returning with a retail space.
“We’re a traditional butcher shop with a pretty big operating area with room for a big cooler,” said Battaglia, noting the meat cooler will be kept at 34 degrees. He added this is the perfect temperature to keep stock fresh.
Noting he’s “traveled all over” looking for new marketing concepts, Spatafore said he was impressed by similar marketplaces in Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C., which gave him the idea for doing something customized for San Dieagans and their needs.
“As Liberty Station continues to grow and thrive, we are thrilled to introduce the same type of community market concept that has proven to be successful in world-class cities across the United States,” said Scott McMillin of McMillin Cos., Liberty Station’s developers. “David Spatafore of Blue Bridge Hospitality is a proven operator, and we think, under his direction, this concept is a perfect addition to a destination that is already rich with local culture and history.”
“Liberty Public Market presents small businesses the chance to sell their goods on a much larger scale,” said Spatafore. “Liberty Station is a coveted retail location in San Diego. It’s highly trafficked and centrally located, with prime visibility and free parking. This project allows the little guys to be a part of a very big business opportunity. Not only that, but it offers some of the area’s premier local wholesale distributors the chance to have a brick-and-mortar presence as well as access to the everyday consumer. It’s a win-win scenario.”
Building 1, originally designated for a project called The Shops at 2816 Historic Decatur Road, was originally built as the Naval Training Center’s commissary in 1921. Redevelopment by Spatafore and McMillin Cos. is bringing about $3 million worth of infrastructure revisions to the space. Improvements are to include an outdoor patio area. Changes, however, are being implemented without using modern design elements that would alter the historic integrity of the building’s original structure.