City Market’s 2-year closure has vendors concerned about the future of their businesses

INDIANAPOLIS — City Market, the longtime downtown establishment, will close for two years beginning March 2024 as part of the City Market East Project.

The $200 million joint venture between Citimark and Gershman Partners will include the following:

• The conversion of the 20-story Gold Building into 350 apartments
• Construction of an 11-story, 60-unit apartment tower on the east wing of the campus
• A public plaza on the west wing of the campus
• Upgrades to the office tower at 251 E.

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Many of the vendors currently in business at City Market have been there for decades. Most knew the closure was coming but feel the city didn’t give them enough of a heads up.

“When I first started, I did not know it was going to be closing,” DaWuan Finley, owner of Chef Wuan’s Kitchen, said. “We found out earlier this year — maybe March — when we had our first meeting with the board.”

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Finely has been operating his business out of City Market for over a year. He says he grew up wanting to own his own business. He says at this time he isn’t sure where he is going to go next.

“I don’t have any exact plans, but I am searching for a new facility,” Finley said. “[I’m] hoping to find somewhere to build my business.”

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Brenda Barrett has been working at City Market for 17 years. She is the owner of Jacks Barbershop.

She says the city hasn’t been effectively communicating with them. She was notified City Market would be closing in three months on Dec. 13.

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“I was here for the previous renovation, and they had us in the wings,” Barrett said. “They haven’t discussed that, nor did they say if they are going to let us come back.”

The city wouldn’t grant an on-camera interview but did say they are still working on design plans. They say they are going to make sure the market is structurally safe and cannot do that if people are in the building.

The city has agreed to cover the vendor’s rent for Jan. and Feb.

“Oh whoop, let me just throw away my business for two free months of rent,” Barrett said. “I’d rather have my business.”

“This is not something we do on the side as a hustle. This is where our money is coming from,” Finley said. “So, I believe they should have given us more information have been more upfront with us.”

The city says City Market will open back up in 2026.