CLEVELAND – They’re back in business – at least some of them.
After a Wednesday morning fire shut down the historic Westside Market, produce vendors were allowed back into their stands on Friday.
Yet, some admit they’ve had a slow start.
“It’s usually a lot busier out here on a Friday,” said Charmalee Lashock, a produce vendor at the market. “But it’s a lot better than I thought it was going to be. There’s so many loyal, die-hard market fans who continue to support us, and that’s what we need.”
Yet, some outdoor stands refused to open on Friday, to support the 100 other vendors that will be out of work. People who owned stands inside the main building were allowed to take out personal items on Friday.
“It’s going to be a few weeks before we get inside and we all have produce in our coolers that we can’t touch, so that’s lost revenue there,” Lashock said.
Lashock was one of a handful of vendors that decided to return to business on Friday. She wanted to show customers that they can depend on the vendors – even in times like this.
“This is our bread and butter, and it’s going to be really rough for the people inside,” she said. “We’ll ride through this, but like I said, we need to show them our faces and that we’re here and we’re not going anywhere. “
Several local businesses are sponsoring the Westside Market
The City of Cleveland said the main building at Westside Market will remain closed indefinitely, as it continues to investigate the cause of the fire.