Capitol Market - Charleston, WV, Charleston, WV, USA

A farmers' market indoors and out in the heart of downtown Charleston, WV

OPEN DAILY YEAR ROUND
Grow the Tradition
The Capitol Market Story

In the late 1800s, the Kanawha and Michigan Railroad built a rail yard on Smith Street. For several decades, it bustled with commerce important to the growth of Charleston, West Virginia.
In the late 1900s—the rail yard having fallen into disrepair—a new vision for Smith Street was born. A vision that included a renewal of the once-vital commerce, and something else—the creation of an anchoring place for the people of Charleston; a tourist attraction, a premier shopping destination and a social hub for the community – this is where Capitol Market traditions began in 1997.
Now, more than 100 years after the rail yard’s construction, Capitol Market stands. The old transfer dock is now home to a year-round outdoor market and an eclectic collection of indoor shops featuring fresh fish, meat & produce;, wines, chocolates, coffees, cheeses, specialty foods and West Virginia Foods & Things and one of the city’s most popular restaurants.
Capitol Market is an old friend now, helping to anchor our city and giving us a place to share our very best with each other and with our visiting neighbors.
Capitol Market is our Main Street. It is our gathering place, our daily meeting space; where we greet our friends, build each other up and take our out-of-town guests when we want to show off Charleston!
Our traditions at the market are as varied as our community--Saturday morning coffee, daily business lunches, after-work shopping, weekend excursions with the kids, and more. Christmas tree shopping, picking pumpkins, spring garden planning and stocking up on fresh summer produce are all part of the Capitol Market experience.
The Market has its own traditions as well. Over the years, Capitol Market has helped raise thousands of dollars for dozens of charity and civic organizations. By improving upon Capitol Market each year, we will remain a central part of the traditions we hold dear.

Do you know?
More than a half million visitors enjoy Capitol Market each year.
o While this number is not scientific, we do gather sales figures from our indoor tenants and encourage them to share customer counts.
o In 2009, our records indicate over $5 million in retail sales were produced by nine amazing West Virginia family-owned businesses located inside Capitol Market.
o The West Virginia Department of Agriculture estimates outdoor sales totaling $3 million in 2009.

Capitol Market is a unique retail environment; board members are available to engage and empower tenants in areas from marketing to business development.
o We are host to 16,000 square feet of indoor space with eight West Virginia family-owned and operated businesses.
o Over 35,000 square feet of space is host to over 40 West Virginia greenhouses growers, produce farmers, pumpkin & mum growers and WV Christmas tree growers.
o A quality environment is provided to our outdoor tenants by providing amenities (unknown to many farmers’ market’s across the state) such as a pavilion; providing shelter from the weather elements, ADA accessibility, restrooms, electricity, phone hook-ups (enabling the acceptance of credit cards) water, dry storage and a walk-in cooler.
o The indoor and outdoor tenants enjoy the benefits of our volunteer and participatory board of directors by utilizing their field expertise for consultations to advance and enhance their business growth and potential.
o Capitol Market has hosted “tenant appreciation picnics” after hours to show our appreciation to them for being a part of the Market family. A Christmas party was hosted in 2008 as well.
Capitol Market implemented a recycling program for tenants/businesses developed in partnership with the Kanawha Valley Solid Waste Authority. In 2007 we introduced to our tenants the opportunity to reduce trash removal expenses and to help the environment by recycling cardboard.
Community Involvement is vital to Capitol Market.
o Capitol Market helped to raise $6,500 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation from 2003-2007 through our Annual Green Chili Shoot Out event.
o 2008- 2010, Capitol Market helped to raise $20,000 for the MS Society through our Annual Green Chili Shoot Out.
o Developed a partnership with Generation Charleston to assist with the Annual Green Chili Shoot Out and Fiesta Verde.
o Capitol Market partners with the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences to provide creative art activities for children every second Saturday of the month.
o Two weeks each January, Capitol Market helps collect clothing, books and household supplies for the YWCA Sojourners; each year we are the drop off location. Each year, our donations pack a tractor-trailer completely full.
o Christmas tree recycling project with West Virginia Department of Environmental Protections. In 2009, over 600 Christmas trees were recycled at Capitol Market. The WV Division of Natural Resources utilizes the trees to protect the West Virginia fish habitat during the winter months.
o Developed a partnership in 2009 with the WVU Kanawha Extension agents to provide workshops to the community and our customer focusing on gardening expertise, healthy eating with WV produce and environmental and science projects for the kids.
o Since 2006, Capitol Market has been a participant in the city-wide event; Festivall, providing a venue for WV musicians to perform.
o With the encouragement of First Lady Gayle Manchin, the idea to bring healthy alternatives for eating to state employees at the Capitol Complex came to fusion in 2003. The result, “Capitol Market at the Capitol”, is a weekly summer excursion to the Capitol complex bringing fresh fruits, vegetables and fresh salads for over 1000 Capitol Complex employees to enjoy.
o Capitol Market provides a retail outlet for the federally funded Senior Voucher Program. Offering senior citizens of low income status to purchase up to $20 in West Virginia grown produce utilizing vouchers provided by the WV Department of Agriculture.
o Roark Sullivan Lifeway Center partnership – Wine & Roses Fundraiser. Capitol Market has donated the Market space as a venue for our neighbors to host an event to raise awareness and funds to support their cause. Since 2006 over $15,000 has been raised.

Market Facts

Capitol is a 501c3 not for profit organization.
Capitol Market is governed by a volunteer board of directors comprised of dedicated and participatory individuals from public and private sectors. The volunteer board of directors consists of 20 plus members offering their expertise to assist business owners with marketing, legal, retailing, merchandising, fundraising, financial guidance and future growth.
We cohesively work through a Memorandum of Understanding with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture on the functions and operations of Capitol Market.
We are not owned by the City of Charleston, the state of WV or Kanawha County.
Capitol Market is “incorporated”.
The Executive Director oversees the daily operations and manages the marketing and advertising, financials, tenant relations, leasing opportunities, property management and special event planning and execution through support and direction of the volunteer board of directors.

Our efforts!

Created in 2004 the Market Mixer Fundraiser held the first Wednesday of October has raised in excess of $75,000.00 over the years.
The Capitol Market Calendar fundraiser was initiated in 2006 offering our customers the knowledge of monthly activities and happenings and a chance to win prizes throughout the years. The Capitol Market Calendar fundraiser has successfully raised over $15,000.00 over the years.

Goals for Growing the tradition

Over the years, Capitol Market has grown considerably and, at the same time, grown a little older. Since 1997, when we opened for business, the Market has added 86 free parking spaces, Smith Street signage to the building, a 20x20 dry storage building and 12x16 walk-in cooler space all for our tenants to take advantage of with their growing inventory levels and for the improvement of customer service. But more needs to be done in order to freshen the face and improve the space of our Market, and we’re looking forward to improving and upgrading entrance doors, parking lots, public restrooms, perimeter gates, the outdoor pavilion, air conditioning units, porch furniture and more for the benefit and enjoyment of our West Virginia family businesses making Capitol Market a fun, family friendly event center and to help renew our downtown community and to make this premier downtown Charleston destination feel like home to our community and customers!