Everything You Need To Know About The New Liberty Public Market | Grand Opening In Liberty Station On March 21

March 11, 2016

David Spatafore, the local hospitality veteran behind Coronado’s Blue Bridge Hospitality, has partnered with San Diego's Liberty Station in Point Loma, and together, they will open Liberty Public Market - a premier 22,000 square-foot public market adjacent to Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens that will unite the region’s most dynamic artisans under one roof. A limited number of vendors are set to 'officially' open on Monday, March 21, with more to follow throughout the week. The multi-million dollar investment will support the creation of a complete San Diego cultural immersion - a public arena for locals and tourists alike to embrace the city’s finest handcrafted food and specialty items. We have all the details on the highly anticipated market.

Mess Hall under construction
The Liberty Public Market is paving the way for an interactive community experience in America's Finest City - a local gathering place where San Diego's quality artisan goods will harmoniously unite under one roof. Serving as a one-stop specialty shop as well as a daily farmers market, the concept is reminiscent of similar public markets in other progressive cities - such as Napa’s Oxbow Public Market, Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market and Vancouver's Granville Island. The venue aims to represent San Diego’s unique culture by offering year-round fresh produce sourced from surrounding regional farms, locally procured seafood, old fashioned butcher services, homemade tortillas, artisanal breads and pastries, fine wine merchants in the Southern California area, locally roasted coffee, specialty handcrafted goods and so much more. In addition to purchasing fresh goods to take home, the market will also offer quick-service counters, allowing guests to enjoy food on-site.

Conveniently located at 2820 Historic Decatur Road within Liberty Station, the market has been built out in a 22,000 square foot venue in the north end of the complex, situated in a prime location adjacent to the successful Stone Brewing. The storied space, which was originally built as the Naval Training Center’s commissary in 1921, will pay homage to its historic roots by housing a diverse mix of merchants, each hand-selected for their passionate support and ardent commitment to San Diego’s culture. The expansive indoor area features high-ceilings in a communal setting and the space will also include a massive outdoor patio, promoting a social atmosphere. Liberty Station offers complete accessibility for San Diego neighborhoods and tourists alike and provides ample and free parking for all visitors.

Alongside The McMillin Companies of Liberty Station, the visionary behind the Liberty Public Market is home-grown success story, David Spatafore, principal of Blue Bridge Hospitality. Born and raised in San Diego, Spatafore has made a name for himself developing Coronado restaurant concepts such as Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge, MooTime Creamery, Village Pizzeria, Little Piggy’s Bar-B-Q, Coronado Coffee Company, as well Stake Chophouse & Bar. As an avid traveler, Spatafore regularly frequents public market concepts across the US to capture the true essence of each city’s unique history and culture. Spatafore returns to San Diego with one thought, “How does San Diego not have a market like this?” And thus, the idea behind Liberty Public Market was born. Invested in bettering and building the community he lives in, Spatafore’s is filling a much-needed gap in the city by creating a truly authentic San Diego specialty market.

“As Liberty Station continues to grow and thrive we are thrilled to introduce the same type of community market concept that has proven to be successful in world-class cities across the US,” says Scott McMillin. “David Spatafore of Blue Bridge Hospitality is a proven operator and we think under his direction, this concept is a perfect addition to a destination that is already rich with local culture and history.”

With the capacity for more than 30 merchants, the Liberty Public Market is locally focused and aims to forge a partnership between the region’s most talented artisans. Blue Bridge Hospitality has curated a hand-selected group of like-minded purveyors that are specialized in their particular craft, who when brought together, are a top representation of San Diego’s unique culture. The space operates as a co-op, giving vendors a platform for success by acting as a collaborative partner for business support and marketing services.

“Liberty Public Market presents small businesses the chance to sell their goods on a much larger scale,” says Spatafore. “Liberty Station is a coveted retail location in San Diego. It’s highly trafficked and centrally located with prime visibility and free parking. This project allows the little guys to be a part of a very big business opportunity. Not only that, but it offers some of the area’s premier local wholesale distributors the chance to have a brick and mortar presence, as well as access to the every day consumer. It’s a win-win scenario.”

Representing a mix of experienced local retailers, farmers market vendors, food truck operators and home-grown kitchen concepts, Liberty Public Market has curated a diverse collection of culinary tenants that represent San Diego’s growing gastro-centric scene. From an old-school butcher to homemade pastas and fresh empanadas straight from Argentina, the marketplace will offer a mix of ready-made foods, pantry staples and retail storefronts for convenient one-stop shopping. The market’s debut tenant roster includes:
Liberty Public Market’s on-site restaurant, Mess Hall, helmed by Executive Chef Tim Kolanko of Blue Bridge Hospitality (Stake Chophouse & Bar, Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge), offers a nod to the building’s history as the Mess Hall of the former Naval Training Center. Truly a market-to-menu concept, nearly all of the vegetables, proteins, and ingredients found within Chef Kolanko’s cuisine will be sourced directly from the market’s artisans - advocating sustainability in every sense of the word. Mess Hall’s menu will change daily, utilizing only the freshest available market goods, and the format of the restaurant will vary as well - Thursday through Saturday guests may see a more comprehensive à la carte selection, while on other pre-determined days of the week the restaurant may offer an inspired preset, coursed-out meal or family-style dinner. Mess Hall’s space will be utilized to host a variety of events including pop-ups, traveling guest-chef dinners, culinary education classes, private events and more. Mess Hall is scheduled to open on March 23 with the below launch menu.
For more information on Liberty Public Market and its vendors, visit libertypublicmarket.com.