Located at the crossroad of Ogden Road and Blackfoot Trail, and the intersection of the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railway lines, in the middle of Calgary’s historic stockyard district, sits Calgary’s Crossroads Market. It is one of the most mixed-use buildings in Calgary and one with a rich history. It is a bit of a hidden gem and doesn’t always get the respect it deserves as Calgary’s year-round, indoor, inner city market.

Calgary’s Crossroads Market is located 4 km southeast of downtown, about at 15 minute bus ride.

Crossroads Market is not only home to a year-round farmers’ market, but also a 48-vendor flea market, public art gallery (Alberta Society of Artists), theatre space (Loose Moose Theatre), mega dance studio and various office spaces. There is even a studio space where several bands rehearse. And one of Calgary’s favourite artists Mandy Stobo (best known for her series of fun “bad portrait” paintings) who once had her studio in the basement, has left her mark with a mural on the wall of the breezeway space between the indoor market and the huge tent.

On a recent Saturday morning, not having been there in awhile, I decided to check it out. Stepping out of the car, I immediately felt the atmosphere of a true farmers’ market - people speaking a variety of different languages mingling about, forklift drivers moving pallets of produce to and fro, and hundreds of colourful produce boxes everywhere. And inside the huge tent, produce stands were piled high with colourful and seasonal produce of all kinds, of people chatting and shopping.

The People’s Market

Crossroads Market, which brands itself at “The People’s Market,” definitely has the look, feel and patina of an authentic farmers’ market.

It has the grit and quirkiness I expect when visiting a farmers’ market and the rabbit warren-like spaces (especially in the fall) i.e. peak season when all the outdoor tents are full.

The curated, designer look of suburban markets just don’t do it for me. I enjoyed the multi-cultural element of the market, where members of four Hutterite colonies (Springvale Colony, Newdale Colony, Clearview Colony, Skylight Colony), mix and mingle with vendors from around the world.

In fact, the food vendors’ list reads like the membership list of the United Nations – Anatolia Turkish Cuisine and Grocery, Eats of Asia, Old Munich German Sausage House, Nila’s Taste of Indonesia – to name a few.

If you are are pin lover, (remember the fun pin trading tables along Stephen Avenue during the 1988 Winter Olympics) you will love Bill Baker Pins & Collectables at the market.

Note: If you are really into pins, you can get customize lapel pins at CustomPins.CA. Just sent them your logo or image and their design team will create unique pin for you.

In chatting with Matthew McDonald, one of the owners and managers of the market and building, I learned the market and building are fully leased with a waiting list. I learned that on harvest weekends (September and early October), 25,000+ people of all ages and backgrounds visit the market. McDonald started working at the market 30+ years ago when he was 14 years old, collecting the 25-cent admission which was charged back then.

As surprising as that is, he is not the only longstanding member of the Crossroads family, Chongo’s Produce Market, Eric Seelt (Silks & Stuff), Old Munich Sausage House have all been at the Market for 35 years, Kelly Meats, Regina’s Fine Meats and Roxy’s Burger Bar for 32 years, Henry and Helen’s Honey House for 31 years and ATC Toy Shop and Chai Gift and Fashion for 30 years.

As I walked around there was lovely family-like atmosphere about the place.

If you are into comics, Purple Gorilla Comics should be your first stop.

By The Numbers:

320,000 lbs of produce are brought into the market each weekend during harvest season
Every Thursday, 4 BC farmers from the Okanagan make the 1,700 km round trip to Crossroads Market bringing 150,000 lbs of fresh picked produce
15 Farmer Vendors (Souto Family Orchards, Seasons Best Produce, Gillz Fresh Produce, Hilltop Farms, Chongo’s Produce Market, SK Fruit & Vegetables, TJ’s Produce Market, Johnsons Taber Corn, Springvale Colony, Newdale Colony, Clearview Colony, Skylight Colony, Raj Fresh Produce, Broxburn Vegetables, Pearson’s Berry Farm)
48 Flea Market vendors
56 retail, prepared food and liquor merchants
4 service providers (Tammy’s Nails, Wendy’s Hair Salon, Cancom Ink Refill, Ty Phan Watch Repair)
Crossroads Market has been an incubator for several Calgary start-ups including Good Trade Coffee, Deepak’s Dhaba and Anatolia Turkish Cuisine And Grocery.

Bulk Buying Bonanza

If you go to Crossroads Market late on Sunday afternoon (after 3pm), you will experience a bartering bonanza i.e., vendors not wanting to take produce back to their farm, start to shout out significant discounts on case lots. It makes for some fun theatre - and some amazing deals as it gets closer and closer to closing time McDonald shared with some great stories of how Calgarians take advantage of buying in bulk at the Market.

Long-time Crossroads supporter Tony and his family purchase approximately 2,000 lbs of roma tomatoes every year which they then process over the course of a few days. The entire family gathers to create their own pasta sauce. The jars are then divided up between his family, his three sisters and their families and his wife’s family which they then all enjoy throughout the year. They also collectively buy cases of peppers for roasting, eggplants for pickling and buy bulk cases of fresh fruits throughout the summer which are divided amongst the family members.

Susan combines forces with 8 to 10 other families from the Nigerian community to purchase 300 lbs of habanero peppers, 2,000 lbs of roma tomatoes, 800 lbs of crimson peppers, 2,000 lbs of shepherd peppers, and 800 lbs of pimento peppers each year to create their traditional Nigerian sauces, soups and Jollof Rice. Susan looks forward to coming to the market every year to buy these items to sustain and keep her culture vibrant, while living in Calgary.

Restaurant owner Toyin purchases 1,400 lbs of habanero peppers which she freezes and uses throughout the year for her restaurant and catering business, as well as 700 lbs of roma tomatoes which she turns into sauce for her Afro Caribbean cuisine.

History

The Crossroads Market building (1235 – 26th Ave SE), opened in 1938, with an additional storey added in 1956. Situated in Calgary’s historic Stockyards District, where the CP and CN rail lines intersect in southeast Calgary. It originally was the Katchen Brothers Abattoir (slaughterhouse) and later, the Calgary Packers meat packing plant, giving the market a rich history.

As the only remaining abattoir building in the city, its presence recalls the now-demolished Alberta Stockyards that stood directly across 26 Avenue SE from it (from 1903 to 1990). Slaughtering and meatpacking are part of Calgary’s ranching history and the reason that even to this day, Calgary is often referred to as "Cowtown."

From Harry Sanders: Brothers Albert, Henry, and David Krygier acquired the former meat plant in 1996. They converted it into the Granville Island-style Stockyards Market ca. 1998. It was ahead of its time, proved unsuccessful, and closed. All of the elements of the Crossroads Market were there earlier in the Stockyards Market.

The Crossroads Market first opened its doors in 1987 at a location just off 16th Ave and Barlow Trail in northeast Calgary as both a farmers’ and flea market. In 1999, It moved to its current location and in 2013, it added 30 new farmers’ market vendors by reducing the number of flea market vendors to accommodate Calgarians’ growing interest in buying local foods.

Today, the market includes a large outdoor tent to create more space for its summer and fall seasonal vendors, as well as to host special events (i.e. Reset Society Charity Book Sale, Medieval Fair & Crystal Cauldron Artisan Market, Stampede parties, Inglewood Night Market and later this year a Christmas Market).

Last Word

When the southeast leg of the Green Line LRT is completed with its 26th Ave SE station situated next door, there is a strong possibility Crossroads Market will serve as the catalyst to spur development around the station. It could easily become an anchor of a new transit-oriented urban village.

And, wouldn’t it be great if the LRT station was named Stockyard Station, an apt moniker to honour and celebrate the area’s history!

If you like this blog, you will like these links:

Only In Calgary: Shelley & Richard’s Picks

19 Reasons NOT to visit Calgary

Calgary: 59+ Free Fun Things To See & Do!

Calgary Hidden Gems: Crossroads Market (aka The People’s Market)