Broad Street Market’s stone building
This week brought some bright news for the Broad Street Market.
Hornung’s LED Lighting donated and installed new lighting fixtures in the market’s stone building at no cost to the market, the market’s board of directors shared in a press release on Monday.
The new high-efficiency LED lighting replaces outdated fixtures in the building, cutting down on electric costs, market officials stated.
The Dauphin-based company’s donation had a value of over $15,000.
“We could not be more grateful to Hornung’s LED Lighting for their generous donation of materials, labor and expertise,” said Eric Hagarty, chair of the Broad Street Market Alliance Board. “Time and time again, when the market has asked for help, the community has stepped up, and Hornung’s LED Lighting is yet another great example of how we continue to recover from the fire together. Because of Hornung’s LED Lighting, the market is brighter than ever, and we will be able to more effectively control costs–and, most importantly, keep rents as low as possible for the market’s vendors.”
In the past several months, the market’s board has sought ways to cut down on costs, as officials stated in January that revenue was down by 70% since a July fire in the brick building. At first, the board decided to almost double vendors’ rents to make up for the loss, but lowered the increase to 25% after facing pushback from vendors and the community.
In addition to the lighting upgrade, the market has lessened expenses by working with utility companies and the city to defer bills, cutting marketing costs and using volunteer board members to fill in for the market director role and other vacant positions, among other initiatives, Hagarty said.
“I think the worst is over, and we’ve turned the corner, but with that said, things are still tight,” he said on Monday, when reached by phone. “But we are in a much better spot.”
While the market’s brick building suffered significant damage from the fire and is currently closed, the stone building is open for business.
The market is also getting closer to finishing the construction of a temporary tent-like structure to house displaced brick-building vendors while the building is rebuilt. Seven vendors are slated to move in. The city said that the tent will likely open to the public by the end of April or early May.
Hagarty expects that the market’s revenue will increase once the structure is open.
“We take pride in extending a helping hand to reestablish the market as it plays a crucial role in the vibrant community of downtown Harrisburg. Our donation isn’t just about lighting up a market; it’s a symbol of our shared resilience and dedication to community,” said Mike Hornung, owner of Hornung’s LED Lighting.
For more information and updates about the Broad Street Market, visit the city’s website or the market’s site.
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