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Air Date: July 31, 2025 12:00 pm
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Shoppers stop and eat during Italian Market on Sunday, May 23, 1976. Photo: Don Camp (George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Photographs/Temple University Libraries Urban Archives)
The Italian Market has been around for over 100 years. It’s vibrant, it’s old-school, there’s tons to buy and eat, and it’s thanks to generations of immigrants from all over the world. They’ve kept it alive even through turnover and modern grocery stores entering the neighborhood.
Today, a public art project hopes to document all of the history and preserve the market’s style and spirit through tours, story circles and an impressive digital archive. At the head of the Our Market Project is artist Michelle Angela Ortiz, who grew up in the 9th street staple and witnessed a lot of change over the years.
On this Studio 2 Extra, Michelle Angela Ortiz joins Avi Wolfman-Arent to talk about the Italian Market’s rich history and hopeful future.