Making the Market

Check out this article on the CBC NB website featuring the Making the Market project! Come see us today and play some Saint John City Market trivia at the 150th anniversary celebration, starting at 3PM!

This morning, CBC Information Morning featured an historical tour of the Saint John City Market!

Project chair Mike Forestell and researcher Connor DeMerchant shared some of the lesser-known stories of the Market with host Emily Brass, including the lost Germain St. tower, the purchase of fur pelts, and the City Market Clothing Hall.

We also touched on Marita McNulty's radio show, the legacy of the riverboats carrying produce, and Lord's Lobster!

Listen in on the Information Morning website 📻😀

Tomorrow morning, tune in to 91.3 in Saint John to hear Mike Forestell and Connor DeMerchant give host Emily Brass an historical tour of the Saint John City Market. As part of the summer schedule, this show will be available across NB on CBC Radio One! 📻🎙

For this segment to celebrate the Market's 150 years, we decided to shine the spotlight on some of the lesser-known stories from the Market's past.

Your Thursday nights just got a little more exciting. 🌙✨

Come experience the Saint John City Night Market and enjoy an evening of local shopping, delicious food, live entertainment, and community vibes right in the heart of Uptown Saint John. 🛍️🍴🎶

Bring your friends, bring the family, and take your time exploring everything the market has to offer.
📅 Thursday, September 3
📍 South Market Street
⏰ 5–9 PM

🌙 See you at the Night Market!


Uptown Saint John

Earlier this summer, we shared memories of Billy's Seafood and the Diana Restaurant, on the corner of South Market St. and Charlotte.

This article cuts straight back to the first entrepreneur to occupy the space, Thomas Youngclaus of the City Market Clothing Hall. ✂🪡👔👗

He rose from humble beginnings in the woods of Petersville to become a major city merchant.

In addition to the sharply-dressed gents (one of whom may be Youngclaus), this photo boasts usually crisp image quality, showing the details of the elegant signage.

Unlike today, each of the four Charlotte St. storefronts originally had their own internal staircase, and Mr. Youngclaus boasted a multi-level selection of ready-made clothes in addition to custom tailoring and bulk fabric. This innovation allowed him to bring the latest styles to Saint Johners at a lower price.

Thomas Youngclaus and the City Market Clothing Hall Making the Market is a volunteer initiative to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Saint John City Market in 2026.

Bonne fête nationale de l’Acadie! ⭐️💙🤍❤️

Perhaps the earliest mark that the Acadian community made on the Saint John City Market was through Bouctouche oysters, which were already famous when the Market was built.

This shellfish was the must-try delicacy for visitors to the city, at establishments such as Cornelius Sparrow's saloon just across Germain street. In the 1880s and 90s, they were shipped in by refrigerated railcar and sold by the barrel. 🚂🦪

One of the earliest Acadian vendors at the City Market was Calixte Collette (1886-1966). Born in Bouctouche, his parents are listed in English records as John Collette and Cecile King, and in French as Jean Collette and Cécile Roy. Calixte himself sometimes used the older "Collet" spelling.

In the winters and early springs of the 1930s, Calixte ran ads for copious quantities of oysters and clams in the centre aisle of the Market. It's possible he was only selling in Saint John seasonally at the time, but by the 1950s he lived in the Uptown area with his wife Eva Bastarache and owned a secondhand store on Prince Edward Street.

And so, while oysters were not traditionally an August food, we wish you a "Bon Quinzou!"

Did you know? ❓The Saint John City Market is the only public market of its kind in Canada that’s connected to a pedway /underground tunnel system. The Charlotte Street entrance is the beginning of a network that runs all the way to the waterfront and TD Station.

We'll be back next week with another fun Market Fact! 🌈

After yesterday's post about flower businesses in the City Market, a family member of Eleanor Janes shared some memories of Eleanor's Flowers.

Here's a picture of Mrs. Janes helping a bride-to-be with her flower selections in 1971. 🌺💐