Here’s Why You Should be Shopping at Reading Terminal Market This Week
Because it's local, because it's awesome and because the "Thanksgiving Shoppers Week" program makes it easier than ever.
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Reading Terminal Market is one of this city’s great destinations. Sure, there’s art and history and all that other stuff, but for the wandering Gastronaut, a trip to the Market is like visiting a close and crowded Mecca. Some of the best cheap lunches in town can be found there. Some of the coolest food stands. The best local produce. Meats and seafood. Everything you need. Plus, it is rough and scrappy, just like Philly. Rambling, confusing and territorial. You can get lost there. Find things you never knew you were looking for. End up walking out with more corn dogs and lobsters than you meant to.
If you’ve been there recently, you know how they’ve been trying to clean it up and make it more presentable. You know about the new vendors, the new wine and liquor kiosks. But with the holidays fast approaching, they’re now launching “Thanksgiving Shoppers Week” to make things even easier for Market regulars and those who’ve maybe stayed away too long.
Here’s why you should be making plans to hit the Market this week.
Anuj Gupta, Reading Terminal Market’s general manager, knows how stressful it can be shopping for Thanksgiving. ““We’re working hard to add amenities and services that will take some of the stress out of Thanksgiving shopping and create an easy, enjoyable experience for customers,” he said. And that’s nice and all, but what, exactly, does this mean?
For starters, the Market will be staying open later — until 7pm — from Monday, November 20th through Wednesday the 22nd.
In order to make parking easier (and therefore making it easier to load up and get all those groceries home), there’ll be free parking at the Hilton Garden Inn garage at 11th and Arch. This is valid from Saturday, November 18th through Wednesday the 22nd, and will require a $10 purchase, plus a ticket validation. For those of you who prefer ride-sharing, the Market has a deal where any purchase of $50 or more will get you a $5 credit with Lyft. Just bring your receipts to the Concierge’s desk near the Head Nut.
But what if you can’t get to the Market at all? No worries, they now have online ordering and curb-side pickup. Check out the Market’s online ordering site, make your purchases, schedule a pick-up time and then give them a call when you’re 10 minutes out. Your order will be assembled and loaded into your car for you. 20 of the Market’s vendors are participating in this program, so whether you need meats, cheeses, produce, olives, baked goods or condiments, they’ve got you covered.
In addition to all of this, the Market will have their ambassadors on the floor to help you out if you get lost (or can’t find the corn dog stand). Molly Malloy’s will be selling beer and wine in go-cups to ease your stress. And the Market has even put together a whole Thanksgiving Shopping Guide to make your trip as smooth and simple as possible.
Obviously, all of the Thanksgiving promotions end on Wednesday the 22nd, but you’ve still got plenty of time.
Well, maybe not plenty of time. But enough. If I were you, I’d start making plans now.
