Title

"Cover Story" piece on the Portland Public Market and how Ted Spitzer's decision

Authors

Chris Busby

Source

Casco Bay Weekly

Date

11-8-2001

Pages

10-12, 14, 1

Abstract

"Cover Story" piece on the Portland Public Market and how Ted Spitzer's decision to resign as its director will affect the market's future. Spitzer, 37, has played a key role in the market since its inception. He was hired a project manager in 1996, and assume the role of director in 1998. Within a year, vendors began leaving the market and Spitzer set up Farm to Market Inc. (FTM), a nonprofit entity that provided meat, fish and produce until independent vendors could be found to take over its stalls. In July 2000, five of the market's 23 stalls were operated by FTM. Today, FTM operates eight of the market's 25 vendor stalls. A vendor survey conducted in August by Barton & Gingold revealed that the Public Market is losing sight of its original goals and vendor morale is quite low. It also found strong feelings among other vendors that Spitzer had a conflict of interest when it came to his role as Executive Director of the Market, Director of FTM and his role as part owner in one of the independent businesses. Greg Dove, 44, manager of the market since January 2000, has replaced Spitzer and Dove plans to use his position to bring local shoppers into the market. Toward that end, Dove said the market's advertising and marketing strategies are all being re-evaluated and, in the end, Dove believes there's going to be a local focus and less gloss.

Subjects

Portland Public Market, Greg Dove, Theodore Spitzer

https://digitalcommons.portlandlibrary.com/cbw_2001/44/

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