Sharing Our Story
Renewing Our Mission
We first began operating the Market at Pepper Place in the summer of 2000. More than two decades later, we continue to renew the commitment to our mission each season:
To connect Alabama’s finest producers with consumers in the Birmingham area, making fresh, healthy food accessible to all our neighbors while creating a vibrant local economy and a community meeting place.
Our Market Builders
Cathy Sloss Jones is President and CEO of Sloss Real Estate Company, Inc., an urban redevelopment firm founded by her grandfather in 1920. Her noteworthy achievements include the Pepper Place Entertainment District, a vibrant mixed-use design district where the nationally recognized Market at Pepper Place has made its home.
After living and working for twenty years in New England, Leigh Sloss-Corra came back to her home town of Birmingham, Alabama. She oversees Market fundraising, Friends of the Market membership program, and relationship-building with community partners.
Our Market Builders
Cathy Sloss Jones is President and CEO of Sloss Real Estate Company, Inc., an urban redevelopment firm founded by her grandfather in 1920. Her noteworthy achievements include the Pepper Place Entertainment District, a vibrant mixed-use design district where the nationally recognized Market at Pepper Place has made its home.
After living and working for twenty years in New England, Leigh Sloss-Corra came back to her home town of Birmingham, Alabama. She oversees Market fundraising, Friends of the Market membership program, and relationship-building with community partners.
Our History: Growing Needs
The Market at Pepper Place began in 2000 to help small family farms, and provide a connection between these family farmers and the people of Birmingham, Alabama. From our beginning with a few tents in the center parking lot of Pepper Place, we have now grown to over 80 tents weekly during peak growing season.
Our attendance has grown at times to over 10,000 people per Saturday at the height of the season. All approved market vendors are based in Alabama, from a geographic range of up to 200 miles from The Market. Often we see fourth generation farmers working the market together; evidence that our farmers market is making a difference in the viability of small Alabama family farms.
Our History: Growing Needs
The Market at Pepper Place began in 2000 to help small family farms, and provide a connection between these family farmers and the people of Birmingham, Alabama. From our beginning with a few tents in the center parking lot of Pepper Place, we have now grown to over 80 tents weekly during peak growing season.
Our attendance has grown at times to over 10,000 people per Saturday at the height of the season. All approved market vendors are based in Alabama, from a geographic range of up to 200 miles from The Market. Often we see fourth generations working the market together; evidence that our farmers markets are making a difference in the viability of small Alabama family farms.
Market Management
After working in television news and commercial production for over 25 years, Lisa Beasley joined the Market at Pepper Place in January of 2009. As Market Manager, Lisa helps direct vendor registration and scheduling, market layout and farm visits, special events and yearly planning – plus she checks in weekly with the market’s logistics team to make sure the Market is ready to go, rain or shine – thank you, Lisa.
Market Logistics
Maintenance Engineer for Sloss Real Estate Company, Inc. on weekdays for almost 25 years, Quinton Craig is also responsible for managing a team of workers to oversee the farmers market’s set up every Saturday morning. Rain or shine, Quinton has shared his engineering skills and his time to manage logistics since the first market was held in June of 2000. Our market wouldn’t be here without his dedication and hard work – thank you, Quint.
It’s a team effort! Market founders and management couldn’t do all they do without the support from market staff and volunteers, Board of Directors, the Mayor of Birmingham and our city councilman, sponsorships, and donations from friends like you.
The Sloss family has been shaping the skyline of Birmingham, Alabama for over a century. Colonel James Withers Sloss helped forge the Magic City’s future in iron and steel. Founded in 1920, Sloss Real Estate remains a family business as the Colonel’s great-great granddaughter, Catherine Sloss Jones continues to redefine the city’s future through a variety of urban renovation and construction projects.
Formerly the Dr. Pepper Syrup Plant and Bottling Company, the Pepper Place Entertainment District is a group of seven buildings totaling more than 227,000 square feet. After extensive renovation, the complex currently. houses Birmingham’s premier design center as well as the farmers market, restaurants, retail, and more. Sloss Real Estate Company CEO and Market founder, Catherine Sloss Jones spearheaded this redevelopment and are responsible for leasing and managing the complex.
The redevelopment by Sloss Real Estate of the Dr. Pepper Syrup Plant, Martin Biscuit building along with other buildings in the surrounding area sparked the creation of the Lakeview Design District. This district is a catalytic nexus connecting the St. Vincent’s Hospital campus, the Lakeview Entertainment District, Sloss Furnaces National Historical Monument, the Railroad Park, University of Alabama at Birmingham and other city neighborhoods.
