The Pike Place Market in Seattle first opened in 1907. It was created to counteract produce wholesaler price gouging that became common in the city. And, not only did wholesalers charge enormous amounts to consumers for food, but they also swindled the food producers in return.
As the problem became larger and people more vocal, a few forward thinking councilmen created the Pike Place Farmer Market to remove the middleman.
One of the more popular stalls in the market proper is the Pike Place Fish Company, known for it’s fish-throwing staff.
As we observed, when a customer orders a fish, the employees chant a loud chant, dance a jig, and throw a “flying fish” over the counter to a waiting employee who is most likely surrounded by surprised tourists. It’s said that this is done to save the time it takes to walk around the counter. We wondered how often the catcher actually drops the fish that is thrown to him.
There are many fishmongers in the market… from which the dead fish and shellfish make great photographic subjects.
And pirate corn… (a buck-an-ear)
On the way out I picked up a lovely book for La Niña called A Day at the Market by Sara Anderson who lives close to the market.
