DETROIT ~ Eastern Market invited members of the media to tour a new refrigerated facility that will help bolster the offerings at the market.
Shed 7, located at 3445 Russell St., right next to Wigley’s Corned Beef, is a newly renovated 43,000-square-foot wholesale distribution facility that expands opportunities for Michigan farmers, food producers, and wholesale buyers and distributors. The building project broke ground last summer.
“Food is essential, and so we at Eastern Market are committed to a system that retains and supports our regional farms,” said Sarah Pavelko, executive director of the Eastern Market Development Corporation. “This facility also reflects Eastern Market’s commitment to creating opportunities for small businesses, specifically growers of color, by providing our entrepreneurs with freezer and cold storage space for their produce. Now, farmers in Detroit don’t have to pick their produce and immediately deliver it to their buyer. They can store it here for a nominal fee.”
The building features cold storage, distribution docks, and additional space for sellers. The building is part of Eastern Market’s Authentic Eastern Market campaign, a $15.5 million fundraising campaign launched in September 2024.
The nonprofit that runs the market, Eastern Market Corp., owns the building.
“Eastern Market has been a cornerstone of the city for many generations,” said Linda Nosegbe, director of economic mobility at the Gilbert Family Foundation. “It is where Detroiters come together to buy, sell, connect, and belong. Shed 7 does not just build on that legacy, it strengthens it and positions Eastern Market to drive opportunity and economic growth for decades to come.“
