The Spokane Conservation District (SCD) opened the region’s first year-round public marketplace on May 31: the Scale House Market, located on the 50-acre Quarry Campus in Spokane Valley. The market is a culmination of years of planning, public investment, and a community vision to create a vibrant, conservation-minded food hub. Scale House Market is expected to be a boost to local entrepreneurs, equitable food access and community resilience.
Housed in a reimagined building that once served as the site’s scale house, the market pays homage to the land’s industrial past while supporting the future of regional food systems. The project also reflects the transformation of the former rock quarry into a community asset for education, conservation and connection. The $4.4 million development was made possible through state capital funding, generous local sponsorship and a public-private partnership with Four Roots, a woman- and veteran-owned food resiliency business that will operate the market.
The project is a response to the community’s call for year-round access to fresh, local food, says SCD Director Vicki Carter. The market will create a stable sales channel for family farmers and food entrepreneurs, she adds. Learn more, become a vendor, or support the project with a donation at Thescalehousemarket.com. Follow the Scale House Market on Instagram @the_scale_house_market and Facebook @TheScaleHouse. (OTO)
