You can do your shopping, eat, and drink on site, and in the meantime, you can listen to a concert or watch a live show. San Lorenzo Market, a successful bet?
Let’s give the numbers
San Lorenzo Market opens at Palermo in March 2016, it develops on 1.500 internal square meters and a 1.200-square-meter garden. Three million euros were invested in the renovation of the space, which had previously closed in the 40s; there are 11 shops and approximately 250 employees. The products on sale are at zero kilometer. Open 7 days a week, from 8am to 22pm, and until midnight from Thursday to Saturday. These figures would seem to indicate a victory on all fronts after three years of activity and a huge audience of spectators every week. But is this really the case?
Dried fruit displayed at a stall reminiscent of a Sicilian cart – Photo Eleonora Di Trapani
Food culture
Former citrus derivatives factory, where oranges were processed to produce essential oils and extracts for the food and cosmetic industries, San Lorenzo Market was born with the aim of creating a space where find quality and genuine products. Two hundred and fifty suppliers selected throughout the regional territory, with DOP and IGP brands, and presidia Slow Food, organic and eco-sustainable products. The goal: create food and wine culture, promoting Sicily through meetings between producers and consumers. A calendar of events related to food, from tastings to cooking show, from book presentations to social gatherings, aimed at adults and children. Workshops, games, educational experiences, and school visits allow children to get closer to nature, learn about products, the time of year to find them, and how to care for them. The key words are: quality, sustainability, connection with the territory and with tradition, although there are more exotic products such as mango and papaya.
Space dedicated to the bakery shop – Photo Eleonora Di Trapani
The spaces and the mixture of elements
Developed in an industrial-style space, the furnishings are contemporary, with vintage elements, and the giant puppets almost as if they wanted to protect the Sicilianity of the products. The shops, each open for retail sales and on-site consumption, offer from street/slow food to a more calorie-conscious cuisineSo, is Sanlorenzo Mercato a winning bet? Not entirely. On one side, there’s a space that combines food, entertainment, and attention to raw materials; on the other, a market that’s moved away from the street. You can’t hear the typical noises of the neighborhood stalls; only the chatter of the people in the background. The interior style varies depending on the shop you’re in. More classic and rustic tables in front of the meat and fish sections, foldable and metal ones in the bakery section, barrels and stools in the wine section.
Fruit and Vegetable Shop with Seasonal Products – Photo Eleonora Di Trapani
Right compromise
Communication is of considerable importance in general and, in this specific case, the presentation of the shops is left to the families who manage themThe market’s website features Antonello, Filippo, Mariella, and the other vendors, bringing customers closer to the vendor. The transformation of raw ingredients into products to be eaten on-site is fascinating: involtini, meatballs, meat or fish kebabs. Vegetables are offered in succulent variations. The desserts are a real eye-catcher, although perhaps one would expect a wider selection. The street food, far from the fried food stalls Palermo residents are accustomed to, whether it’s a street vendor or a streetside eatery, is a delight to the palate.
Therefore, like all big bets, Sanlorenzo Mercato with its strengths and weaknesses turns out to be a fair compromise for those looking for multiple services in a single location.
Dining and Cooking