An Overview of the area known as the Italian Market in Philadelphia, PA

1. The (not so) Italian Market
By Cormac Ferrick

2. This report is about the bustling
and dense section of South
Philadelphia known as the Italian
Market area.
It has a long and rich history.

3. Location
•The Market Is located on Ninth
Street between Fitzwater and
Wharton Streets.
•It stretches along Ninth Street, and
extends from storefronts to markets
on the sidewalks and sometimes in
the streets.
•There is still a lot of
mixed-use zoning in
the market, but
originally many of the
shop owners lived
directly above their
stores.
•This is the place
where you find mom
and pop stores and
neighborhood stores.
Although a few stores
have expanded outside
of Ninth Street.

4. History
•Began in mid 1880’s. Founded by
Antonio Palumbo, an Italian
Immigrant.
•He opened up a boarding house,
occupied solely by Italians, and they
needed a place to shop and eat.
•In 1915 the South Ninth
Street Men’s Association,
comprised of second-
generation Italian
Americans, was formed.
•The market became a
popular place for
residents to shop. By the
1940’s, it had become
the largest and longest
outdoor Market in
America.

5. History Continued
•A major dock for passenger ships
from Europe was located on the
Delaware River at the foot of
Washington Avenue, the main east-
west thoroughfare. Immigrants would
walk off the ship and to nearby
boarding homes.
•Most shop owners lived
above their stores or
rented out the space as a
boarding house.
•After World War II many
of Italians relocated,
along with the rest of
America. Moving to the
suburbs and South Jersey
but still ran their stores.
•There was a period of
blight in the neighborhood
and there were many
vacant storefronts and
buildings.

6. The Markets Zip Code
The market is located in the 19147 zip code, and that is
what all of the demographics are of unless stated
otherwise.

7. Italian Influence

8. Italian Influence
• In 1870, there where only 561 Italians living in
Philadelphia.
• By 1920 44,000 Italians resided in South
Philadelphia, many of them clustered in row
homes near the Market.
• The majority of the stores were owned by
Italians during this time, as can be seen by
the food sold in the market.

9. Demographics
• The Italian Market is located in the 19147 zip
code, with a population of 36,228 as of the
2010 Census.
• The number of Hispanics in the zip code
account for 10 percent of the population
(3,654) with 2,106 of them Mexicans.
• Most of the Mexicans living in the area are
illegal immigrants.

10. Population Demographics

11. Income and Educational
Demographics
• The median household income is
51,753 per year for this zip code
• While the mean is 76,510
• The median household income in
Philadelphia is 36,957 dollars per year

12. Housing Demographics
•The average value of a house in this neighborhood
is 301,700

13. Mexicans in The Market

14. Mexicans In the Neighborhood
• There were 6,200 Mexicans living in
Philadelphia in 2000.
• By 2010 there were 16,200 Mexicans living
within Philadelphia.
• Most come from one part of Mexico, San
Mateo Ozolco in the county of Puebla.
• They often come with their relatives, leaving
the women and children at home.
• Transnationalism plays an integral part in
these peoples daily lives. They are
constantly sending money and
communicating with relatives in Mexico.

15. Mexican Influence

16. New Mexican surge
• There are now 27
Mexican business in the
market, including seven
grocery stores, two hair
salons, a record store,
and nine restaurants.
• Envios de Paquería is a
store in the market that
allows residents to send
money and packages
back to Mexico or their
homeland, promoting
transnationalism.

17. Mexican’s Main Strip
• The area has changed from being the main
strip for Italian Americans to becoming the
main strip for Hispanics, specifically Mexicans
from San Mateo Ozolco.
• The market serves as a central shopping and
gathering place for people in the area, no
matter what ethnicity.
• For 150 years, the neighborhood served as
the first American home to new immigrants. It
fills that same role today.

18. References
• Census Bureau Homepage. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2013.
<http://www.census.gov/>.
• Dubin, Mary. South Phialdelphia: Mummers, Memories, and the
Melrose Diner. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1996. Print.
• "Experience The Market." South 9th Street Italian Market. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 15 May 2013.
<http://italianmarketphilly.org/experience-the-market/>.
• Ferrick, Thomas, JR., and Daniel Denvir. "Los Mexicanos De
Filadelfia Part Two: Work, Family and Fear." Philadelphia
Metropolis. N.p., 29 May 2011. Web. 15 May 2013.
<http://www.phlmetropolis.com/2011/05/los-mexicanos-part-
one-work-family-and-fear.php>.

19. References Continued
• "Italians in Pennsylvania." Pennsylvania Historical & Museum
Commission. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2013.
<http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/group
s/4286/italians/471928>.
• Juliani, Richard N. Building Little Italy: Philadelphia's Italians
before Mass Migration. University Park: Pennsylvania State UP,
1998. Print.
• Stanger-Ross, Jordan. Staying Italian: Urban Change and
Ethnic Life in Postwar Toronto and Philadelphia. Chicago:
University of Chicago, 2010. Print.
• Tigres, Helen. "The Italian Market." Encyclopedia of Greater
Philadelphia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2013.
<http://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/italian-market/>.