Streetsblog San Francisco

The newest repurposing of street space in San Francisco, the Mission Community Market (MCM), will formally launch today with its first weekly market and street closure on Bartlett Street between 22nd and 21st Streets from 4-8 pm. After holding a successful fundraiser in June, the MCM's organizers are hopeful the event has already gained a foothold in the community and will continue to improve and draw new participants.

"I'm looking forward to getting started," said Jeremy Shaw, MCM's lead organizer. "This is just the beginning of a new community space that the community will define."

Shaw said the market is starting well, with eight farmers and various prepared foods and crafts and artisan booths, five cultural, performance, youth or artistic partners, two after-school programs, tables from the YMCA, and an art project from Root Division.

"We need to make sure the balance of vendors is right, we need to make sure different types of emerging businesses from the neighborhood are represented," said Shaw. "We need to make sure to get the word out that this is a community space and a platform for existing institutions to bring the programs they are already doing into the street."

In the longer term, Shaw wants to see the weekly activity in the middle of Bartlett Street become a tool to long-term permanent improvements to the street.

"We will be consulting with the community and raising funds for making streetscape improvements, adding murals and considering other design components the community brings forward," he said.