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“Bringing People Together Around Food”: The Social Life of Findlay Market Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Lisa Marie Beiswenger, B.A, M.A. Graduate Program in Anthropology The Ohio State University 2019 Dissertation Committee: Jeffrey H. Cohen, Advisor Douglas E. Crews Anna J. Willow Dorothy Noyes i Copyright by Lisa Marie Beiswenger 2019 ii Abstract In this dissertation, I explore the social and economic life of Findlay Market. The public market represents a space where a welcoming and civil atmosphere is the background for social interactions (Anderson 2004; Shepherd 2008; Mintz 1989; Bestor 2004; Cook 1976). These social interactions are performed in a space created for economics. In this dissertation, I examine the changing role of the public market using Cincinnati’s foodscape and Findlay Market as a backdrop. I go beyond Polanyi’s (1957) theoretical notion of “the market” to understand how public markets in general, and Findlay Market in particular, serve as a framework for social action and establish personalized economic and social relationships between customers and vendors. My research contributes to anthropological literature by moving beyond Plattner (1982; 1989A, 1989B), Mintz (1989), and Miller (1998) to observe the market outside of its economic function and to view it as a process, not just a place. The market is a cosmopolitan canopy which is part of the social infrastructure of Cincinnati where visitors and vendors build community, and where social actors use it differently depending on their status and priorities. i Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to the students and faculty at The Ohio State University and to Gary, Peggy, April, Gina, and Adam Beiswenger for their endless support. I would also like to dedicate this work to the staff, vendors, and customers of North Market and Findlay Market. ii Acknowledgements I wish to express my deepest appreciation to my dissertation committee: Douglas Crews, Anna Willow, Dorothy Noyes, and especially my advisor, Jeffrey Cohen, for their advice and motivation throughout my studies and research at The Ohio State University. I am also indebted to the faculty and staff of the Anthropology Department for their support and infectious love of the discipline. I would also like to acknowledge the work of Krystle Klein, Maria Danna, Kayla Killoren, Meagan Jones, and Evelyn Romeo, for their assistance in collecting data and conducting research. Thank you to the Food Innovation Center at The Ohio State University for financial support for this project. Finally, I am indebted to the vendors and management at Findlay Market who selflessly gave their time to participate in this project, and North Market for allowing access to the data from their customer surveys which were so pivotal to this thesis. In memory of Vanessa Crossland-Taylor. iii Vita May 2002…………………..B.A. English/Secondary Education, Saint Francis University May 2005………………….M.A. English, Literature, Indiana University of Pennsylvania October 2007………..M.A. Media and Cultural Studies, Roehampton University, London June 2012 ………………….…………….M.A. Anthropology, The Ohio State University Publications Beiswenger, Lisa Marie and Jeffrey H. Cohen. 2017. Provisioning, Shopping and Productive Leisure at North Market, Columbus, Ohio. In Research in Economic Anthropology. Edited by Donald Wood. Vol. 37. Beiswenger, L.M. and L. Tremblay Critcher. 2012. Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology. In Anthropology 2200: Introduction to physical anthropology – Laboratory course packet. Edited by M.C. Stewart and J.W. Sadvari. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill. Fields of Study Major Field: Anthropology iv Table of Contents Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………... i Dedication …………….…………………………………………………………………. ii Acknowledgments ………………………………………………………………...…….. iii Vita …...…………………………………………………………………………………. iv Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………………... v List of Figures ...…………………………………………………………...……..……... vi List of Images ……………………………………………………………………...….... vii List of Maps ……………………………………………………………………...…….. viii List of Tables …………………………………………………………........…….........… ix Chapter 1: Introduction ………………………………………………………………….. 1 Chapter 2: Customers at Findlay Market ………………......………………….........….. 31 Chapter 3: Vendor Success, Building Relationships, and Balancing Risk ………...…... 60 Chapter 4: Food Security and the Market …………………………….…….....……….. 79 Chapter 5: The Social Life of the Market ….…………………………………..………. 88 Works Cited …………………………………………………………………………... 103 v List of Figures Figure 1: Gender of Visitors to Findlay Market ............................................................... 34 Figure 2: The Year of Birth of Survey Respondents by Decade ..................................... 35 Figure 3: Estimated Household Income of Findlay Market Visitors ............................... 35 Figure 4: Marital Status of Findlay Market Visitors ........................................................ 36 Figure 5: Respondents Were Asked “Which of the following best describes your primary residence?”............................................................................................................. 37 Figure 6: How Many Children 17 or Younger Currently Live in Your Household? ....... 37 Figure 7: Respondents Were Asked "Which of the following best describes your level of education?" ........................................................................................................... 38 Figure 8: Respondents Were Asked "Which of the following best describes the food shopping that you do?" ......................................................................................... 39 Figure 9: Respondents Were Asked "Where do you complete a majority of your grocery shopping? (Please select one)” ............................................................................. 39 Figure 10: Respondents Were Asked "What is your largest concern when shopping for food?" ................................................................................................................... 42 Figure 11: Comparison of the Different Types of Shoppers at Findlay Market and North Market .................................................................................................................. 49 Figure 12: Types of Permanent Vendors at Findlay Market by Year .............................. 52 vi List of Images Image 1: Approaching the Market House from the Farm Shed ......................................... 1 Image 2: Saturday on the Street Outside the Market House .............................................. 5 Image 3: Customers Shopping at a Produce Stand at the Market .................................... 11 Image 4: Findlay Market on West Elder Street ............................................................... 32 Image 5: Amish Poultry Sold at the Market ..................................................................... 43 Image 6: A Word Cloud Generated from Customer Posts Made on the Micro-Blogging Website Twitter ................................................................................................... 57 Image 7: Inside the Market House at Findlay Market ..................................................... 61 Image 8: Two Vendors in the Farm Shed Chat During a Lull in Customers .................. 72 Image 9: Produce Resellers at Findlay Market ................................................................ 80 Image 10: The Findlay Market Farm Shed. A Sign Reads: "Weekends April-November - Food Stamps Accepted" ....................................................................................... 82 Image 11: A Child Riding a Coin-Operated Mechanical Horse Outside of One of the Businesses at Findlay Market .............................................................................. 93 Image 12: The Findlay Market Biergarten, Open Six Days per Week May-October ..... 95 Image 13: The Main Page for FindlayMarket.org ........................................................... 97 Image 14: The Main Page for NorthMarket.com ............................................................. 97 vii List of Maps Map 1: Map of the Greater Cincinnati Area Overlaid with a Map of Respondent Zip Codes .................................................................................................................... 40 Map 2: United States Map with All Respondent Zip Codes ............................................ 40 viii List of Tables Table 1: “Why do you primarily visit Findlay Market? (check only one please)” .......... 45 Table 2: “Why do you visit Findlay Market? (check all that apply)” .............................. 45 Table 3: Price Comparison Between Findlay Market, a Conventional Grocery Store (Kroger) and Wal-Mart ........................................................................................ 46 Table 4: Most Common Words Used in Tweets from Findlay Market Visitors ......... 55-56 ix Chapter 1: Introduction What I do is probably the second most intimate relationship that I can have with somebody. My products are going from my store, to their kitchen where they feed their families. It doesn’t get a whole lot more intimate than that. Jay Ward, Gourmet Spices Image 1: Approaching the Market House from the Farm Shed. The public market represents a space where a welcoming and civil atmosphere is the background for social interactions (Anderson 2004; Shepherd 2008; Mintz 1989; 1 Bestor 2004;

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