Just about everybody has had the experience of strolling downtown on a beautiful day. On many a warm-weather Sunday, you’d be hard-pressed to miss the lively, bustling scene that is the 6th Borough Market at Marin and Montgomery.
Two Sundays a month in spring, summer, and fall, the market draws thousands of residents from all parts of town to enjoy what is fast becoming a JC tradition.
It’s the brainchild of Kate Howe, her husband, and a couple of other visionaries, who launched it in the summer of 2013. Her model was the famed Portobello Road Market in London’s Notting Hill district, known for its second-hand clothes and antiques. “It’s the kind of thing,” she says, “where you wake up on a weekend and go to a place with great, unique food and a cool vibe with creative people.”
To back up, Howe is not a Londoner. She’s a Connecticut native who came to Jersey City by way of Brooklyn, which is getting to be a pretty popular gateway.
“After we had our first kid, we were looking around for more space,” she says, “and when I was transitioning from a young childless professional to one with a family, Jersey City seemed like a great option. We were able to get a small house in the Hamilton Park neighborhood. It was awesome to have a park, a preschool, a doctor, and beautiful architecture. Jersey City is livable, you know your neighbors, run into people you know, and can have block parties.”
To serve not just this demographic but a wide swath of Jersey City residents, Howe pitched the market idea to the Silvermans, who donated a lot on Hamilton Park. The market later moved to the parking lot on Marin and Montgomery, which was centrally located and near public transportation.
What’s in a Name
The name “6th Borough” is not without controversy. Howe is well aware that some longtime Jersey City folks object to being considered an offshoot of New York City.
“I love cities and the urban environment,” Howe relates. “Jersey City has always had this sense of independence from New York City but also this sense that it’s very much a part of the New York metropolitan area and its cultural amenities.”
A case can be made that the 6th Borough Market is itself a cultural amenity that showcases Jersey City’s growing creative class, and the goods and services it offers.
Here’s a partial list of what’s for sale: baby goods; hair accessories; printed T-shirts; ready-to-eat food on food trucks; Polish desserts; handmade ice cream; fresh baked goods and pastries; popsicles; hand-crafted honey; organic fruit syrups; popcorn; gluten-free foods; vintage furniture and clothing; household goods, such as cutting boards and hand-crafted pillows; apothecary items, such as soaps, natural cosmetics, and body oils; kids’ toys; and men’s merchandise like beard oil, T-shirts, and hats.
The market also features activities such as face-painting. Howe reports on one very popular “one-off” event at last summer’s market. A woman from California who’d heard about the market and happened to be in town created cut-out silhouettes, which proved to be a best-seller.
“We like to keep it varied and have something for everyone,” Howe says.
Some vendors sign up for the whole season; others just a couple of markets per season.
Going It Alone
The 6th Borough Market is independent and not supported by the city. “It doesn’t get any downtown area tax money,” Howe says. “It relies on being well-received by the community and the vendors in order to survive.”
The market is free, so there is no precise way to gauge success, but attendance estimates range between 2,000 and 4,000 per market, according to Howe.
“For me, success is getting great vendors, and I am proud to give a good experience to the public,” Howe says. “I’m happy with sales and building a business in the community.”
You may have seen 6th Borough’s ads on the PATH train, but Howe says most folks are still coming locally from this side of the river.
“We’re proud to be a small-business, creative incubator,” she says, “and a venue for people who make or collect things or have a side hobby that they are hoping to grow into a job.”
She continues, “I’m happy to create a platform that encourages micro-business. People find connections here in a really nice way.”
In a culture of mass consumerism, she says, “People miss the personal aspect, and that’s what the market brings back.”—Kate Rounds
The 2016 market schedule has not yet been determined, but markets will run from May to the end of October. For more information, contact Natalie Pereira at 201.923.9337.