Tanis Monroy
The Broad Street Market’s top official will resign from his post.
On Thursday, Executive Director Tanis Monroy told TheBurg that he will step down at the end of February due to health complications.
“I really need to focus on my health and family,” Monroy said. “I can’t keep doing this job while my health is declining.”
Monroy, who has held the post since October 2022, said that his heart is failing and he has severe kidney issues. Over the past two months, those issues have become serious and have impacted his ability to do his job, he shared.
Over the past few months, Monory has received pushback from market vendors and community members, following the July fire in the brick market building. Community members have called for more transparency and better communication. Some even asked for the director to step down after the market decided to raise vendor rents by almost double to make up for a monthly operational deficit. The increase has since been put on hold by the Broad Street Market Alliance’s board.
However, Monroy said that, while there have been challenges at the market post-fire, his decision to leave was not influenced by them.
“I’ve been fully committed to the market,” he said. “Even with all the negative and the vendors and the community being upset, and rightfully so, it still has been a big part of my life for the last year and a half.”
Monroy told the board of his decision on Monday, and vendors were informed on Wednesday, according to board chair Bryan Davis.
According to Davis, the market will soon begin the search process for a new director and publish the job description. Once applications come in, members of the board, including vendor representatives, will go through the selection process.
In the meantime, they will consider hiring an interim director, Davis said.
Davis said that he is confident that the market will find qualified applicants and that the market will continue to operate during the search process, with support from the board.
“There’s really no doubt in my mind that the market will continue to operate,” Davis said.
Josh Longo, owner of The Cheesesteak Guy in the market, shared that he feels unsure how the market will continue to operate during the search for a new director. He’s sorry to hear of Monroy’s health issues, but feels that the situation could’ve been handled with better communication.
“I feel bad that he does have health issues,” he said. “But we need someone in that position who is here every day to make sure that this market operates as it should on a daily basis.”
Monroy’s last day as director will be Feb. 21.
“It was a very tough decision,” Monroy said. “I have a lot of love and respect for the vendors. In a lot of ways, I feel like I’m letting them down by stepping down, but I know that I have to get better.”
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