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Houston Farmers Market At 2520 Airline Dr.


s3mh

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6 hours ago, MartiMoser said:

I popped off before I did my do diligence. My mistake. I saw on the image of the original entrance it had Canino... everything correct. Then I read a couple of the members posts and saw what you meant. 

I am the 9 month younger cousin of a previous Head of English Department at Austin High School in HISD. She felt very fortunate to have the hungry for knowledge, brilliant students in her classes.  She now teaches, what I call "The Incorrigible Crowd" in a Pearland ISD school.   I digress, but trying to describe my tough, meticulous red head white girl from Denver Harbor.

We played school VERY early in our childhood. She taught and I was critiqued...alot. I learned to read and write before I started school and a very top hand in spelling and grammar. If I slip she corrects me on Facebook. I'm 60 & don't care. As usual though, I thank her and edit the post. 

That's great, MartiMoser. I guess once a teacher, always a teacher. There have been several in my family going back to my great grandmother's sister. My own sister retired at the end of the 2016-2017 school year after 26 years on the job. This past year she has done quite a bit of substitute teaching!

 

I was in Aldine schools in the 1960's - 1970's. Then Aldine was in the process of shedding its 'country' image. I was fortunate to attend during what I consider the golden era of the school district. Our English teachers from junior high on demanded the best from us. That said, those teachers were also most willing to give their best as well. I was in that group who hungered for knowledge. Looking back 40+ years later I am most appreciative of my teachers' dedication and the sense of personal accomplishment for its own sake my parents instilled in me.

 

Getting back to Canino's (singular possessive :lol:), I was there 34 years ago last Saturday (which was also a Saturday - June 2, 1984) picking up fresh fruit for my wedding reception which was held that same afternoon. The caterer was a personal friend of the family. Her wedding gift was to cater the reception so I was most happy to help her out. Among the many, many, visits I've made to the farmers' market, that one will remain the most memorable.

 

Oh yes, I am still married to the same brilliant, beautiful woman. We will celebrate our anniversary with a trip to New England later this month. What could be more romantic than getting away from the Houston heat and humidity. :wub:

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/10/2018 at 9:18 AM, Specwriter said:

That's great, MartiMoser. I guess once a teacher, always a teacher. There have been several in my family going back to my great grandmother's sister. My own sister retired at the end of the 2016-2017 school year after 26 years on the job. This past year she has done quite a bit of substitute teaching!

 

I was in Aldine schools in the 1960's - 1970's. Then Aldine was in the process of shedding its 'country' image. I was fortunate to attend during what I consider the golden era of the school district. Our English teachers from junior high on demanded the best from us. That said, those teachers were also most willing to give their best as well. I was in that group who hungered for knowledge. Looking back 40+ years later I am most appreciative of my teachers' dedication and the sense of personal accomplishment for its own sake my parents instilled in me.

 

Getting back to Canino's (singular possessive :lol:), I was there 34 years ago last Saturday (which was also a Saturday - June 2, 1984) picking up fresh fruit for my wedding reception which was held that same afternoon. The caterer was a personal friend of the family. Her wedding gift was to cater the reception so I was most happy to help her out. Among the many, many, visits I've made to the farmers' market, that one will remain the most memorable.

 

Oh yes, I am still married to the same brilliant, beautiful woman. We will celebrate our anniversary with a trip to New England later this month. What could be more romantic than getting away from the Houston heat and humidity. :wub:

First, let me say Happy Anniversary!  

First topic at hand would be de-countryfying (is it un or de) (is contryfying even a word? If not, it is now)

I was 2 yrs old when we moved outside the city limits of Pearland in June of 1960. The census was 1,700.00.  Mama & Daddy bought 5 acres with 3 barns & a home. $16,000.00. Pearland is headed to toward the 2020 census predicting close to 170,000 citizens. We live in Manvel & it was very country in the 70's. Now we have folks coming to live in the country, but they don't like the "inconvenience" of our damn slow trucks & the quaint tractors going up & down the road at a snail's pace. They've got a latte with their name on it By God!  Sorry. How dare they feed your beef and grow your veggies. Bunch of rubes.

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6 hours ago, CrockpotandGravel said:

Does the redevelopment of Canino Farmers Market, 2520 Airline Dr,  mean the name will change?

There is a website for the redeveloped farmers market with a new name and logo. The name is Houston Farmers Market. The new name erases traces of Canino and the Hispanic influence and culture that has been the cornerstone of this market for decades. My white people and their whitewashing, gentrifying ways. :angry:


https://thehoustonfarmersmarket.com

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Come on man... The first thing I see on the website is a list of all the Hispanic merchants, including Caninos. The rendering shows "Caninos" to the right of the "Houston Farmers Market" entrance. Moreover, the website mention Caninos in several places, including this article https://thehoustonfarmersmarket.com/2017/12/houstons-oldest-largest-farmers-market-to-get-major-overhaul/

 

Quote

“It’s time,” said Bill Canino, owner of Canino’s Produce at the front of the farmer’s market. “It’s been left alone to progress on its own for too many years.”

Canino’s dad opened up Canino’s Produce in 1958, selling fruit and vegetables from some 75 farmers in Harris and surrounding counties. Now, there are only about 30 local farmers left.

“Most of the people have gotten older and passed away,” Canino explained.

Canino’s section of the farmer’s market takes up the front, a space he leases. His store looks just as it did in the ’70s. About the only visual difference you see when comparing old photos of Canino’s to the store today are the prices. Tomatoes were 29 cents a pound in an old picture Canino guesses is from the ’70s. Today, they’re $1.29 a pound. But Canino says sales are down about 40 percent just 20 years ago.

“Most people work,” he explains. “The man and the wife works now. So they go to all these restaurants and fast food places… and they don’t stay home and cook.”

Canino says he’ll continue to rent his space from the new owners and not much will change with his business. He says the outside market in the back, where vendors operate more flea market than farmers market, will be reinvented to make way for restaurants, a seafood market, a cheese shop and a space for cooking shows. No one at MLB Capital Partners would talk with KPRC for this story; but they said we can expect the first big announcement about plans for the market sometime in July. We will keep you posted.

 

 

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19 hours ago, MartiMoser said:

I was 2 yrs old when we moved outside the city limits of Pearland in June of 1960. The census was 1,700.00.  Mama & Daddy bought 5 acres with 3 barns & a home. $16,000.00. Pearland is headed to toward the 2020 census predicting close to 170,000 citizens. We live in Manvel & it was very country in the 70's. Now we have folks coming to live in the country, but they don't like the "inconvenience" of our damn slow trucks & the quaint tractors going up & down the road at a snail's pace. They've got a latte with their name on it By God!  Sorry. How dare they feed your beef and grow your veggies. Bunch of rubes.

There's nothing wrong with being 'country' in my book. What I meant was Aldine was in the process of ensuring its students were well prepared for college or the work world when they graduated. One rumor (possibly apocryphal) was that one had to have a 'B' average from an Aldine school back in the 1950s to be considered for admission to the U of H when a 'C' average from most other Houston area schools was acceptable. When I started college in the late 1970s I was as well prepared as many of my counterparts who attended private college prep schools.

 

I agree, MartiMoser, if someone wants to enjoy the peace and quiet of the rural life one must expect to forego some of the "conveniences" of the big city. One really cannot have it both ways.

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I believe Canino is an Italian name. There were many Italians who settled in that area and who were truck farmers (grew vegetables which they sold at market). There were also some Japanese families that settled in the area and were farmers. Two names I recall are Io and Okabayashi.

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9 hours ago, CrockpotandGravel said:

Does the redevelopment of Canino Farmers Market, 2520 Airline Dr,  mean the name will change?

There is a website for the redeveloped farmers market with a new name and logo. The name is Houston Farmers Market. The new name erases traces of Canino and the Hispanic influence and culture that has been the cornerstone of this market for decades. My white people and their whitewashing, gentrifying ways. :angry:

https://thehoustonfarmersmarket.com

 

 

There's irony in your statement above. Canino's is an Italian name and the roots of the market are in Italian and German farmer's coming together and starting the co-op.

 

"The Airline market's shoppers and its offerings have reflected the area's changing demographics. Initially the site served the Italians, Polish, Eastern Europeans and Anglos who lived in the area. But by the 1980s, the market was catering to the Tejano, Mexican-American and Latino populations living in the Heights and Greater Northside."

 

The market is changing, just like it has before, to serve the surrounding demographics. The continued existence and growth of the market is great in my opinion and hopefully will bring more local produce back into the area and support local farmers.

 

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/Farmers-markets-in-Houston-A-history-11636755.php

Edited by HouKev
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The market was founded by and has been run continuously by the Farmers Marketing Association of Houston.  Canino's is just a tenant, albeit the most prominent and identifiable vendor.  I have heard as many people call it the "Airline Farmer's Market" as the "Houston Farmer's Market" as "Canino's".  So, I do not see this as a big name change.  Canino's will still be there.

 

I am actually not at all concerned about the upgrades.  If the new venture is going to work, they are going to have to strike a balance between the existing vendors and their clientele and the more affluent customers who will be attracted to the promised foodie stuff.  The more affluent clientele will not buy enough produce every week to support the produce vendors.  People are too dedicated to big box grocers, which are beginning to saturate the area.   And then you have people eliminating grocery shopping altogether with instacart and similar services.  As good as Urban Harvest and other small local farmer's markets are, there is only enough demand for these markets to be open one day a week.  Finally, it will not be a tourist trap like Pike's Place market with people moving through shoulder to shoulder all day long.  Thus, the farmer's market cannot rely on upper income earners to sustain the produce market.  They will have to keep the existing Spanish speaking and lower and middle income clientele if they want to have enough business to keep the produce market open daily.  Hopefully, there will be enough increased demand from upper income clientele to offset the rent increases.

 

Hopefully, it will be a win win.  As lively as it is, the current market is in terrible condition.  If you park anywhere other than right in front of Canino's you take your life into your own hands trying to cross through the parking lot by the security guard's post.  And you buy your kids a mango flower, but there is absolutely no where to sit and eat.  And without the new money coming in, odds were pretty good that they would just have to sell and not be able to reopen anywhere.  

 

 

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11 hours ago, Specwriter said:

There's nothing wrong with being 'country' in my book. What I meant was Aldine was in the process of ensuring its students were well prepared for college or the work world when they graduated. One rumor (possibly apocryphal) was that one had to have a 'B' average from an Aldine school back in the 1950s to be considered for admission to the U of H when a 'C' average from most other Houston area schools was acceptable. When I started college in the late 1970s I was as well prepared as many of my counterparts who attended private college prep schools.

 

I agree, MartiMoser, if someone wants to enjoy the peace and quiet of the rural life one must expect to forego some of the "conveniences" of the big city. One really cannot have it both ways.

Our main thoroughfare is FM1128 (Masters Rd). It was dirt road when my husband moved to this property. It is still a 2 lane road, but it's the back road shortcut for Medical Center, Midtown and beyond. It is also the favorite of bicyclers on weekends. None of the above is a bother. I just have one itch to scratch. It is a very young adult male on a Japanese motorcycle that apparently only has 2 notches on the speedometer. Stop & 120 mph. You literally don't hear him coming until he's here. It sounds exactly like a Formula1 Ferrari. I wasn't going to do anything about it, I'd mulled it over, his business, none of mine, etc. But I've decided to do the correct thing & speak to someone at the police department. I am saving his life, not tattling. I would hope a stranger would do the same for my children. With all the unbelievable lunacy coming from the shining house in the East, I'm not going to change who I am as a person. That is a mother, wife, daughter, sister & good citizen of this country. Nobody will make me cower. Nobody.

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19 hours ago, s3mh said:

I have heard as many people call it the "Airline Farmer's Market" as the "Houston Farmer's Market" as "Canino's".  So, I do not see this as a big name change.  Canino's will still be there.

 

 

 

I think the Houston Farmer's Market is a bad name from a Marketing perspective.  Houston is a huge sprawling place so "Houston Farmer's Market" lacks specificity.  We're already seeing lost tourists in the Heights on Saturday mornings stopping to ask directions to "the farmer's market" that they've heard about, but they don't know which of the many different one's they're really looking for.  It could be Canino's or many times it's one of the many small collections of individuals at places like Onion Creek, etc.

 

Retaining Airline or Canino's in the name would help them stand out from the rest.

    

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On 6/21/2018 at 7:29 AM, innerloop said:

 

I think the Houston Farmer's Market is a bad name from a Marketing perspective.  Houston is a huge sprawling place so "Houston Farmer's Market" lacks specificity.  We're already seeing lost tourists in the Heights on Saturday mornings stopping to ask directions to "the farmer's market" that they've heard about, but they don't know which of the many different one's they're really looking for.  It could be Canino's or many times it's one of the many small collections of individuals at places like Onion Creek, etc.

 

Retaining Airline or Canino's in the name would help them stand out from the rest.

    

Correct. We went 2 places for produce  on Saturday mornings...Farmers Market or Produce Row. We knew both clans but I don't ever remember saying Caninos or Elizondo Brothers. 

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  • 6 months later...
On 6/20/2018 at 11:41 AM, s3mh said:

The market was founded by and has been run continuously by the Farmers Marketing Association of Houston.  Canino's is just a tenant, albeit the most prominent and identifiable vendor.  I have heard as many people call it the "Airline Farmer's Market" as the "Houston Farmer's Market" as "Canino's".  So, I do not see this as a big name change.  Canino's will still be there.

 

I am actually not at all concerned about the upgrades.  If the new venture is going to work, they are going to have to strike a balance between the existing vendors and their clientele and the more affluent customers who will be attracted to the promised foodie stuff.  The more affluent clientele will not buy enough produce every week to support the produce vendors.  People are too dedicated to big box grocers, which are beginning to saturate the area.   And then you have people eliminating grocery shopping altogether with instacart and similar services.  As good as Urban Harvest and other small local farmer's markets are, there is only enough demand for these markets to be open one day a week.  Finally, it will not be a tourist trap like Pike's Place market with people moving through shoulder to shoulder all day long.  Thus, the farmer's market cannot rely on upper income earners to sustain the produce market.  They will have to keep the existing Spanish speaking and lower and middle income clientele if they want to have enough business to keep the produce market open daily.  Hopefully, there will be enough increased demand from upper income clientele to offset the rent increases.

 

Hopefully, it will be a win win.  As lively as it is, the current market is in terrible condition.  If you park anywhere other than right in front of Canino's you take your life into your own hands trying to cross through the parking lot by the security guard's post.  And you buy your kids a mango flower, but there is absolutely no where to sit and eat.  And without the new money coming in, odds were pretty good that they would just have to sell and not be able to reopen anywhere.  

The Canino family are most certainly a part of the association as well as The Froberg family. If a Canino market or space is part of the new plans, it will not be the Canino family. He stated he was retiring. His children  have are all white collar, college educated attorneys, doctors & at least one dentist in the family. They simply aren't going to be taking over.  

 

On 6/20/2018 at 11:41 AM, s3mh said:

 

 

On 6/20/2018 at 11:41 AM, s3mh said:

 

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
  • 5 months later...
On 8/7/2019 at 2:15 AM, CrockpotandGravel said:

Updated renderings of Houston Farmers Market at 2520 Airline Dr,.

(Previous renderings here , hereherehere , and here)



Renderings found in Houston Business Journal and CultureMap articles.


Entrance

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Produce market
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Alley
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View of courtyard from a restaurant
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Courtyard
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Inside a cafe or restaurant
uZli5ad.jpg





 

 

Great update. Don't forget about these guys working on the project:

 

Quote

Other participants in the project include landscape architecture firm Clark Condon Associates, Studio RED Architects, Houston-based consulting firm Gunda Corporation, and Arch-Con Construction.

 

Glad this got started. While hiking around the entire neighborhood, I reached Airline Dr, and saw nothing but potential. This area has a lot of opportunities to really take off at some point.

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8 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

I live right off W Cavalcade where those new apartments are going up. I’m so excited to see this development finally happen. In time I hope there are future plans to make 20th/W Cavalcade more pedestrian friendly. 

 

One of my big hopes is that someday they will reconstruct that crazy intersection of 20th, Cavalcade, N Main, and Studewood into an awesome big roundabout, and maybe with a cool art installation or monument. One can dream though, right?

Edited by Luminare
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I don't want to hijack this thread, what about the now abandoned Metro station at 20th/W Cavalcade.  Wish Metro would sell that and recoup some tax $ or donate it for a park.   I know most Heights residents are anti- chain, but a Starbucks drive through would fit beautifully on the property that was the Metro station.

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1 hour ago, native_Houstonian said:

I don't want to hijack this thread, what about the now abandoned Metro station at 20th/W Cavalcade.  Wish Metro would sell that and recoup some tax $ or donate it for a park.   I know most Heights residents are anti- chain, but a Starbucks drive through would fit beautifully on the property that was the Metro station.

 

I don't know the status of the project, but in April 2018, City Council approved a plan to purchase of the former Heights Transit Center property from Metro and convert the property to a park.

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On 8/12/2019 at 1:36 PM, Texasota said:

A drive-through would not be terribly helpful from a pedestrian/cyclist safety perspective. Also seems like aiming a bit low - your post starts with a park and ends with a drive-through Starbucks.

Either would be an improvement over an abandoned Metro station.

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Drove by the market on Saturday.   It was a cluster to say the least.  A large portion of the market is fenced off, and the parking lot is being taken up.   Many of the vendors in the back were placed under temporary tents.   Only 1 way in and out around Junior's (old Canino's).   One entrance on the North side for the large trucks for the wholesale trade.   Will be interesting to see how this shapes up.   Also, it will be interesting to see how many of the wholesalers stay.  

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Make a trip out to see the site on Sunday September 8th and then come over to The Rehab Bar on the bayou and come listen to our band Tinight.

 1658 Enid right behind the farmers market at the SE corner of 45 and 610. Enid runs north and south parallel to 45. No cover, just good fun.

4:00 - 8:00

It features me on bass

Joseph Havel on guitar

Steve Murphy on drums

Love to see you.

Come on out Haifers!

 

Edited by bobruss
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  • 2 months later...

 

1 hour ago, native_Houstonian said:

Junior's Produce, which took over the Canino's space in February, is no longer at this location.    Will be good when the construction is done.  The market is currently a mess!

It is, I live right down the street. But this whole area is getting a total revamp. 

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