It’s been a long time coming for Downtown Bridgeport, a sign that foot traffic aided by young professionals occupying the city’s new housing units can support a market. Monday night Ripka’s Bridgeport Market, inside the historic Arcade building on Main Street, opened its doors for a grand celebration attended by more than 100 city officials, business leaders and numerous Downtown residents eager to shop within blocks of their homes.
Housing units at Bijou Square, 881 The Lofts, City Trust Building, 333 State Street, Read’s Art Space, and other locations, provide a foundation of residential support for the market. Owner Clyde Ripka met dozens of those Downtown residents Monday night introducing them to a 7,500-square-foot market featuring a bakery, butchery, produce, seafood, wine bar and a café. Guests munched on delicious samplings from the market. If first impressions count, the market screamed inviting–clean, impressive in presentation and the variety of grocery options available. Ripka says he expects the store to be open for official shopping this weekend. Hopefully Downtown residents and thousands of workers in the central business district will support the market.
“We have focused on creating a walkable, vibrant Downtown Bridgeport,” says Mayor Bill Finch. “Our efforts have successfully attracted hundreds of new residents and several new businesses. The opening of the newest business, Ripka’s Bridgeport Market, brings high quality fresh grocery items within walking distance for those who work and live in downtown. Clyde Ripka brings a track record of success in Norwalk and Stamford to Bridgeport. I look forward to seeing a market full of customers inside the historic Arcade each day.”
Ripka’s: www.facebook.com/RipkasBridgeportMarket
Place looks amazing and hopefully becomes a gold mine in Bpt … hopefully this is the beginning of great things to come there.
The place does look amazing. The parking will always be an issue. People may be able to walk but carrying bags of groceries? I hope the workers downtown patronize this place. I hope they start building some new apartments soon. What happened to highrises with terraces? Just wondering. As for Ripka’s I wish them much success and thank them for believing Bridgeport was worth investing in. I just hope the residents moves quickly to support this business. I repeat, this is a quality business and just like all of the restaurants they need foot traffic and lots of it!!!
It’s a step in the right direction. However, being the pessimist about Bridgeport I am, I still recommend anyone with true development in their heart for Bridgeport should take a ride down I-95 to New Roc City. The developer there saved much of Danbury with the Brass City Mall. Once New Roc City was being developed (with carte blanche from the New Rochelle city fathers) along came Donald Trump and next thing was extraordinary expansion and rejuvenation. Since Finch and his comrades and predecessors operate in the old manner not much more will happen. Main Street needs to be dropped and all new mechanicals put into the streets and then new development can happen. Right now from Fairfield Avenue to Bull’s Head is Dresden after WWII.
Bob, I agree with your assessment of the great job they did in changing the public’s perception of New Rochelle aka New Roc City, but I believe a true comparison of what Bridgeport could be would be WESTCHESTER’S RIDGE HILL, why we aren’t courting the developers of this landmine for our “steal point” project baffles me. Anyone interested in taking a look at progress while enjoying a good meal should take the short trip to Yonkers … enjoy.
Hector, you ask “why we aren’t courting the developers of this landmine for our “steal point” project baffles me.” The short answer is deep inbred corruption within this city’s administration. Finch, Fabrizi and Ganim’s budgets were fiat and this city is virtually bankrupt, not only fiscally, but morally. Until we rid this city of the flies and leeches who comprise both the legislative and administrative branches nothing will truly change.
Hopefully a business this diverse and unique will increase foot traffic for all of the businesses in the Arcade. However, I do agree parking is a potentially disastrous issue. Lack of parking has put many wonderful little shops, boutiques and restaurants out of business in no time.
*** Another Kodak moment for the “don’t have a clue gang.” Or the “did I do that?” bunch! *** Wouldn’t miss it for the world, no? ***
What happened to the UB space on the veranda of the Arcade? The students did beautiful design work there, brought an artsy element and positive foot traffic in. Maybe a loaded question about UB.
It’s good, though. Something had to be done with this valuable historical space. A big grant from the state will only go so far, though.
I look forward to checking out this new market on Friday. The pictures look great.
*** Don’t forget the camera, folks! ***