Almost 100 years old, this covered market in downtown LA has been in business since 1917. Between Broadway and Hill Street, it's located at the foot of Bunker Hill, once a high-end residential district, with its own funicular, Angels Flight, so-called shortest railway in the world. Bunker Hill is now the home of a cluster of soaring office buildings and the city's cultural center.
The market bustles with produce stalls, Mexican and Central American imports, eating places with counter service, even a Chinese massage. Bright daylight filters in from the streets outside, and in the half-light of the huge enclosed space, under a high ceiling, there are brightly colored neon signs and sawdust on the floor. Here's what it all looked like on a morning in January 2012.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOwyyi-HWsFay-bEh70aX5ivVit8uieoxeVaAuZe1B84ExtFGsmDlMcDgzjTZefWOgp3ERfsnKZm0sgIdmO-lFYczsocBwGYkPD3So8GDidc5Rp74UiQZNmWIWJ0ioePjzzlTDPfkI6KH/s400/grand-central-mkt-since-1917-entrance-25jan12.jpg) |
Front entrance, on Broadway |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IfhS8QHYgYIBVd5Zk5sMWFHU_pdUjQUG7NjfDQvx9uvVvTVm0z1rl_hw6rRdelMMJB4eFwPKLeliTnRU9BnT74Tn_bRTYKFYAU_hZ3EFoMdKQICe2OjIuc5xf_ayEXM6dKRDeLXdFV0_/s400/inside-broadway-entrance-25jan12.jpg) |
Inside Broadway entrance |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjod2LFJytaTahiqQZBdpCh9-Wo07O9xEGjQOiXPkPgKvtHvPkTQXZA6Hg-zvK_il9YKkxyu_aGY_Cv8qepRf_otO3WwqHxc24aTh7qs9Apr4MHOqCq1TIlAu-qbIhDKxJ3WEE8sQr_X3Tl/s400/ana-maria-tacos-25jan12.jpg) |
Ana Maria's Tacos |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZY6GfXtX-rA_k55q5OXY56MB-XyZHyWVnMjAUgc3O_8rV6amibzA_qTf5mg8SiZKhaBwmmLq2G2Q8i6KiGgzfz_zXsxkw5wJwIHMU39iOexH8ePdAORRFjn4GZL9La4uF8On0RO_jiy4/s400/burger-stand-25jan12.jpg) |
Burger stand |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMtmNuwSKoZVkMztIrLl5xmAo2hsWIuRmn6lXT3v_74fuXF42gdb_6q8coLJNMBx4c2d8VJNAaHey-6RhXk4cS7wDSHd3KEcm3kccYcdizObkmEuUCVjXNqgrECdK9yhbgxm9kfgP4omQ/s400/candy-stand-25jan12.jpg) |
Candy stall |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HhAvc9gnTug5nLNPCrJTPkhG3k0Ty1vR34QTIIMr8iVPiuncQS4Lx6BF9ik_V05JIIaPYRuKASRAphP9Bay5BAfO3iiUK8_jqo3AGjLF9TUyheY2B6KH95UVxSw0fesY8DYthmGcDEcw/s400/chiles-secos-25jan12.jpg) |
Chiles secos |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqb8i0NG8perAoq4xdVsmcfsQwH0_Y5BPUhD-GXP3M16ZtVgEacNGryklVvV3AXjwTLp7QGEhPGxjKZD0h4UvWs6eq8GVmuRhuXE41dd7HkF_CWzJbb1P6XJk0dPL73tkjvPaNwS4pNy2/s400/cowboy-hat-shopper-25jan12.jpg) |
Shoppers |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyruc4uheJ7yqqYfdntjvQXGLvZCDVDdgIO1JJN2Jq7CbKtj9GS05QDgBTpuL6R6Q5rEw_eZ1ig9rYN87igPj833VLvjsCaSXFoK-aah3pVYqyX7_bJX5n7ybRgOKPeFkWwVO9nEtQ5OZ/s400/del-rey-productos-latinos-25jan12.jpg) |
Del Rey Productos Latinos |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBFqo1OaLe72JPO5mxnz7rLdGLykW_E7cL6Q0tccHDQFprk5XRMliFoL-oo56tdqZuh5YqjutBoQKkObJJFvdrgwy179vbJGbdkkfGcIabbb5Ifse1jnw3BdCbn5Vu07E1QSG1ituZz28/s400/economy-meats-25jan12.jpg) |
Economy Meats (future carnitas and tacos) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0a7vQGNdVpMN8toVA53KBQld0LTIWIle35o0_ZNm_hHQR2SZmQN9TnVhJgHJBVpbpSuHlG5Ng458alMESjnXHBl1wBLPrbXPsmnxUHgxfsOpv5rVgDfroszw1LM7yiG6k9GKK4pAc28zG/s400/frutas-25jan12.jpg) |
Frutas |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0HTVa6rAJ_QoMvsd6sL_CO5T7QExUi5RfN2p-2nTH9aVxf8UY1L-SoCSayUmV55dGHZF4B2hArfFNh6F4X7BKxbWEjyELSfydLsaOCP97q9pvMnnMXUV0NfqVNAkSMty2CwkOMZteEVp/s400/hill-street-cafe-25jan12.jpg) |
Hill St. Cafe (oddly, just inside the Broadway entrance) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMJHDAdBTQxQoHXJe9NMKH6rHpwCkdwdJakKinjB86gKdUO36iV8DIK5oKJSFKe0373oOMwvBKUGZs50xsxM0bzAL4lcOopUtNCVqo9B5OcevXiNsJcSWVX-Nhkna8hh067vwfK8nB4Yx/s400/hot-lunch-25jan12.jpg) |
One of many steam tables for the adventurous lunch crowd |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierwLSbjooYdfT6FLXgZCJ-wv2DJp5N8yN-lsQW9sVZPN27lOheq7DhvZZDobCyhG0e9yxtcHAxE_jtBmtZHTDjNsFtXL7W_yDMvfTkT5BslIpdtInnsPzrDr2lcQv9wr6biJrOOugTXas/s400/jose-chaquito-25jan12.jpg) |
Jose Chiquito Sandwiches |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDhu9s7AL7w9uI8SkSH72qXdMQqO_1yiPq5fQxZcOwyJjnaLnWk-gi4nTxUx-kODZ4cbRaYg5muUj8Ll8u1KHUz0_fbijtL1qgjYXVy-MqvQvv2vVZiFkOTWZvRmfOszaRFTJ3zp1Fr20/s400/juice-bar-25jan12.jpg) |
Jugos (juice bar) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Z_SzzSQDm9GGYIKQi2QnlU6J-aBz0ueBwXfCFym4ziTcfcM5zBDVVAQiha1gZGqCFcR8l-drb1UQkZmlbh19smGQ4SS9JJkv4yKyz_iKdNREdDT4BmVUOx7xdv8Wp-2_81A7KdLos9Qs/s400/la-adelita-25jan12.jpg) |
La Adelita (my favorite sign in the market) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddMAyVSWj4hzE268Wszjw_JgzIZurc7MxWz-m5raghk7kphrr8nl51g-FRJWsH8NHRN0gDsikw-kTzxIgqrlq2PY7HhAIQBXcFiLiS7v-63i5g-M1jl7BRgB-BICXysAxVlJkbXlySfLh/s400/la-huerta-produce-25jan12.jpg) |
La Huerta Produce |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WBtQTmEsaZzeOValUDEnq_u6Nx0l5gxybEwdKz02cyd4RRLozYNyyzpRzCbvYYy7qlUfXbu9w6wa_MeKwCIzuTNjsOz0UQq6NLwmJZdq0BeRjg_nDVPjQEKoDhl_C8sdxH2gsN-G-knY/s400/pastries-25jan12.jpg) |
Pastries |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9E9u7VGardLBQXNXCeAZkLORED0G3oVxiMRSReit7Y7JBoJL1vghRfdR465FCtkPCad7O77KwXi5IgYljpPvRxW-HeILawWNe7gfhGaYIB5_reI9Ct-lwVekEwBq30BbNACTb6PQTdJNz/s400/pastry-cook-25jan12.jpg) |
Pastry cook |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigktxSd0ctze9uuzrjnPy-H_OFbuuLc1qyZVkhwT_c3ZCsepzGwWmdmvu8t2_CbbsEgcQ-sCCFi3-AKif8eiCZhAJcHAQYEi_GNGwWCPNtzQVeqH5ERo5UpMpp2_MaEem6QYW5OtCCRX5p/s400/produce-seller-25jan12.jpg) |
Produce seller |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSms-2M0d9-BXEzgreHLFYQN6cn8rQ2KDU6Q3aAdFnBqOZZrVyNue83DVAQqduq3-IKpnosKDhH65x-ZzN6yEzf2utqsmm7S-tH9awzQeY5GKCFBi-jPiAminr1iDjGqC21yTeoZwps7gN/s400/sawdust-on-floor-25jan12.jpg) |
Sawdust on the floor |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SZiJNWvc1FDIKkFa5qR0u9J1jkxdTqY9Olg_pzMaXU6nrkMXGgn-B2BLwMegxqCnaYd93iE1UW_HnT7J71v4LOjzS_dNC4ZWbfHebjxklCzyEQ3kBvA5Xmt0BieR-n9l4-O_EQ3sT8mo/s400/view-of-hall-25jan12.jpg) |
View of hall from Hill Street entrance |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEfL0XY7MY2iR5cuAOY34LQNNMBcSCTpHIf5cW5jeKttmhvVpy5QkzrvLsBH9-EmATQdOiSt7rHNhyphenhypheny-ESVod3XtyNe6AM68fsBaRBjjlosmRrhY1HBV_pDDC4RssQYaQGOJo4y-zCP8S/s400/view-of-hall2-25jan12.jpg) |
Another view of hall from Hill Street entrance |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3hhxOf9gRAcNkicKqocUtms3utmx06DdXlc_D_qVUdZybdSJYfTBoUmBl9Z34zCk65CiEL0VEuiXmN4RvtUjq_Q8T2qdEeMlnGpZOTi0pHjp3O1oY0iegRUXMei4640EESykSu58P9tc/s400/chinese-massage-25jan12.jpg) |
Chinese massage |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3TRXEH0xR3tWlGKuvGdnxkte3EqQZQjjNln8L-6HVHsGr7k36350376ZlaAuytbjcbBYcbG0bC3AyPE70J69dUCKVUoswPs74byF01Am9IL2NNfdedAWbvod-pyZDlecX7qTJmFzkQgP/s400/china-cafe-25jan12.jpg) |
China Cafe, inside Hill Street entrance (always busy) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbej53ZAsddeV9PtJ6JZON6JUH5d76cFvFX6WEJmgB-hVVQc39YzYvvO8okFKSn-fwWirtYDHxcWQUImY-VsOAtEQS2h5aiZEl7aDJ7IZZCri_V7lZhFGxlrFwFjYapimdSaCbjx_9_p6G/s400/chiles-spices-25jan12.jpg) |
Valeria's Chiles and Spices |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-IJPRco8gQ900_9sskXXbQUcF1V9KKtc7HGa2Fn3-_595AmIGYw_jwcJmupCnZ5qHUjG94_2o3dL42o-ehxVc9q0hggdTjjtJzDzZ2wZgOHxtUxNFTlkkMscEpePfDDSB3-oJVSxeqVI/s400/cafe-tables-25jan12.jpg) |
Cafe tables, awaiting the lunch crowd |
Coming up: Gregory Peck,
The Stalking Moon (1968)
Now I am very hungry. We do not have anything like this in the North Country I am quite sad to say.
ReplyDeleteI see you have mostly focused on food, Ron. Any meaning in that? :)
ReplyDeleteLooks like a nice place to spend an afternoon.
ReplyDeleteOnly been to LA once, but we got to this place.
ReplyDelete